Retinal Cell Transplantation, Biomaterials, and In Vitro Models for Developing Next-generation Therapies of Age-related Macular Degeneration.

Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells grown on a scaffold, an RPE patch, have potential to ameliorate visual impairment in a limited number of retinal degenerative conditions. This tissue-replacement therapy is suited for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and related diseases. RPE cells must be transplanted before the disease reaches a point of no return, represented by the loss of photoreceptors. Photoreceptors are specialized, terminally differentiated neurosensory cells that must interact with RPE's apical processes to be functional. Human photoreceptors are not known to regenerate. On the RPE's basal side, the RPE transplant must induce the reformation of the choriocapillaris, thereby re-establishing the outer blood-retinal barrier. Because the scaffold is positioned between the RPE and choriocapillaris, it should ideally degrade and be replaced by the natural extracellular matrix that separates these tissues. Besides biodegradable, the scaffolds need to be nontoxic, thin enough to not affect the focal length of the eye, strong enough to survive the transplant procedure, yet flexible enough to conform to the curvature of the retina. The challenge is patients with progressing AMD treasure their remaining vision and fear that a risky surgical procedure will further degrade their vision. Accordingly, clinical trials only treat eyes with severe impairment that have few photoreceptors to interact with the transplanted patch. Although safety has been demonstrated, the cell-replacement mechanism and efficacy remain difficult to validate. This review covers the structure of the retina, the pathology of AMD, the limitations of cell therapy approaches, and the recent progress in developing retinal therapies using biomaterials.

Analysis of Population Representation Among Willed Whole-Body Donors to Facilitate the Construction of a Body Donation Program in China: From the Perspective of Medical Students and Anatomists.

The body donation program of Peking Union Medical College was established in May 1999. From May 1999 to December 2017, a total of 5,576 registrants registered and 1,459 donors donated their bodies. Demographic and medical characteristics of the donors were analyzed. The top four causes of death were neoplasms, heart diseases, respiratory diseases, and cerebrovascular diseases. Age at death among donors who died of neoplasms were significantly lower than other causes of death (all p < .05), and the interval between registration and donation among donors who died of neoplasms was significantly shorter than that among donors with other causes (all p < .001). The age of donors when they registered (p < .001) and donated (p < .001) was significantly older than that of general Beijing population. This study may provide a guide for medical colleges or research institutions to establish or enhance their own body donation programs.

Altered transcriptome and disease-related phenotype emerge only after fibroblasts harvested from patients with age-related macular degeneration are differentiated into retinal pigment epithelium.

We have reported previously that retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) generated from fibroblasts of patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) exhibit a retinal degenerative disease phenotype and a distinct transcriptome compared to age-matched controls. Since the genetic composition of the iPSC and RPE are inherited from fibroblasts, we investigated whether differential behavior was present in the parental fibroblasts and iPSC prior to differentiation of the cell lines into RPE. Principal component analyses revealed significant overlap (essentially no differences) in the transcriptome of fibroblasts between AMD and controls. After reprogramming, there was no significant difference in the transcriptome of iPSC generated from AMD versus normal donors. In contrast, the transcriptome of RPE derived from iPSC segregated into two distinct clusters of AMD-derived cells versus controls. Interestingly, mitochondrial dysfunction in AMD-derived RPE was evident after approximately two months in culture. Moreover, these differences in mitochondrial dysfunction were not evident in the parental fibroblasts and iPSC. This study demonstrates an altered transcriptome and impaired mitochondrial function in RPE derived from AMD patients versus controls, and demonstrates these differences are not present in the original fibroblasts or iPSC. These results suggest that pathology in AMD is triggered upon differentiation of parent cells into RPE. More study of this phenomenon could advance the current understandings of the etiology of AMD and the development of novel therapeutic targets.

Knockdown of Claudin-19 in the Retinal Pigment Epithelium Is Accompanied by Slowed Phagocytosis and Increased Expression of SQSTM1.

Purpose: Besides regulating paracellular diffusion, claudin-19 modulates the expression of proteins essential for the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). This study asks how RPE responds when the expression of claudin-19 is reduced. Methods: In stem cell-derived RPE, claudin-19 and sequestosome-1/p62 (SQSTM1) were knocked down with siRNAs. Expression was monitored by quantitative RT-PCR and western blotting. Morphology and function were monitored by immunocytochemistry and transepithelial electrical resistance (TER). Phagocytosis of photoreceptor outer segments (POSs) was followed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting and western blotting. Pharmacology was used to assess the effects of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and SQSTM1 on phagocytosis. Enzymatic activity was measured using commercial assay kits. Results: Knockdown of claudin-19 reduced the TER without affecting the integrity of the apical junctional complex, as assessed by the distribution of zonula occludens-1 and filamentous actin. AMPK was activated without apparent effect on autophagy. Activation of AMPK alone had little effect on phagocytosis. Without affecting ingestion, knockdown reduced the rate of POS degradation and increased the steady-state levels of LC3B and SQSTM1. Proteasome inhibitors also retarded degradation, as did knockdown of SQSTM1. The expression of metallothioneins and the activity of superoxide dismutase increased. Conclusions: Knockdown of claudin-19 slowed the degradation of internalized POSs. The study questions the role of activated AMPK in phagocytosis and suggests a role for SQSTM1. Further, knockdown was associated with a partial oxidative stress response. The study opens new avenues of experimentation to explore these essential RPE functions.

Partially Differentiated Neuroretinal Cells Promote Maturation of the Retinal Pigment Epithelium.

Purpose: Many studies have demonstrated the ability of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) to foster the maturation of the developing retina. Few studies have examined the reciprocal effects of developing retina on the RPE. Methods: RPE isolated from human fetal RPE or differentiated from human stem cells was cultured on Transwell filter inserts. Retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) were differentiated from human stem cells and cultured on a planar scaffold composed of gelatin, chondroitin sulfate, hyaluronic acid, and laminin-521. Cultures were analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR, immunofluorescence, immunoblotting, and transepithelial electrical resistance (TER). Results: RPCs initially differentiated into several retina-like cell types that segregated from one another and formed loosely organized layers or zones. With time, the presumptive photoreceptor and ganglion cell layers persisted, but the intervening zone became dominated by cells that expressed glial markers with no evidence of bipolar cells or interneurons. Co-culture of this underdeveloped retinoid with the RPE resulted in a thickened layer of recoverin-positive cells but did not prevent the loss of interneuron markers in the intervening zone. Although photoreceptor inner and outer segments were not observed, immunoblots revealed that co-culture increased expression of rhodopsin and red/green opsin. Co-culture of the RPE with this underdeveloped retinal culture increased the TER of the RPE and the expression of RPE signature genes. Conclusions: These studies indicated that an immature neurosensory retina can foster maturation of the RPE; however, the ability of RPE alone to foster maturation of the neurosensory retina is limited.

Claudins regulate gene and protein expression of the retinal pigment epithelium independent of their association with tight junctions.

Claudin-19 is the major claudin in the tight junctions of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Claudin-3 is also uniformly expressed albeit in lesser amounts. Besides modulating transepithelial diffusion, claudins modulate gene expression. The absence of claudin-19 and claudin-3 in the RPE cell lines, ARPE-19 and hTERT-RPE-1, provide an opportunity to examine whether exogenous claudins regulate gene expression in the absence of tight junctions. Quantitative RT-PCR was used to compare gene expression in ARPE-19 and hTERT-RPE-1 with that of highly differentiated, human fetal RPE. Claudin-19 and claudin-3 were exogenously expressed using an adenoviral vector. The transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) was measured using Endohm electrodes, and the effects of claudin on the actin cytoskeleton were determined by immunocytochemistry. The effect of claudin on gene expression was examined by quantitative RT-PCR and western blotting. Aside from claudin-19 and claudin-3, ARPE-19 and hTERT-RPE-1 expressed most junction-associated mRNAs in amounts comparable to human fetal RPE, but some RPE signature and maturation genes were under-expressed. Unlike ARPE-19, hTERT-RPE-1 failed to form tight junctions or develop a TER. Claudins exogenously expressed in hTERT-RPE-1 failed to crystalize an apical junctional complex. Actin filaments were not redistributed from stress fibers to cortical bands, and a TER was not established. In hTERT-RPE-1, claudins were found only in internal vesicular-like structures. Nonetheless, claudins increased the expression of the mRNAs for a collection of RPE-enriched proteins. Claudin-19 and claudin-3 had different effects on gene and protein expression indicating activation of overlapping, but distinct, signaling pathways. A major difference was the ability of claudin-19 to affect steady-state levels of ADAM9 and tyrosinase in ARPE-19. In conclusion, claudins can increase the barrier function of a pre-existing apical junctional complex, but on its own it cannot recruit tight junction proteins to form a complex de novo. Many effects of claudin on gene expression did not require an association with the apical junctional complex. Although claudin-19 shared many effects with claudin-3, claudin-19 exerted unique effects on the maturation of RPE.

Unstimulated, Serum-free Cultures of Retinal Pigment Epithelium Excrete Large Mounds of Drusen-like Deposits.

Purpose: A hallmark of age-related macular degeneration is the accumulation of deposits of lipids and proteins, called drusen, in Bruch's membrane. Several culture models of retinal pigment epithelia (RPE) develop drusen-like deposits. We examined whether prolonged culture of RPE with a retina-like tissue affected the number or size of these deposits. Methods: RPE and retinal progenitor cells (RPC) were differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells derived from fetal tissue and maintained in serum-free medium containing the B27 supplement. RPE was cultured on Transwell filter inserts, and RPC were cultured on a planar matrix composed of gelatin, hyaluronic acid, and chondroitin sulfate. After seeding the filter, RPC were layered on top of the RPE. RPE ± RPC were cultured for six months. The function of RPE tight junctions was assessed by the transepithelial electrical resistance. Cultures were stained for actin, neutral lipids, APOE, TIMP3, vitronectin, and calcium deposits. Morphometric analysis was used to determine the number and volume of the "druse". Results: After six months, the TER was greater for the co-cultures (304 ± 11 Ω× cm2 vs 243 ± 7 Ω× cm2, p < .01). RPE formed mounds of druse-like deposits that contained, vitronectin, APOE, TIMP3 and calcium deposits, but lipids were undetected. The mounds overlay areas of the filter where no lipid was detected in the pores, and the RPE overlying the mounds was often thin. The number of "druse"/100,000 µm2 was 5.0 ± 0.4 (co-cultures) vs 2.3 ± 0.1 (monocultures) (p < .05). The total volume of "drusen"/100,000 µm3 was 15,133 ± 1544 (co-cultures) vs 5,993 ± 872 (monocultures) (p < .05). There was no statistical difference between the size-distribution of druse-like particles formed by each culture. Conclusions: Covering the apical membrane of RPE with a thick tissue increased the number of druse-like deposits. The apparent size limitation of the deposits may reflect the apparent interruption of the of lipid cycle found at the basal membrane of the RPE.

Interactions of the choroid, Bruch's membrane, retinal pigment epithelium, and neurosensory retina collaborate to form the outer blood-retinal-barrier.

The three interacting components of the outer blood-retinal barrier are the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), choriocapillaris, and Bruch's membrane, the extracellular matrix that lies between them. Although previously reviewed independently, this review integrates these components into a more wholistic view of the barrier and discusses reconstitution models to explore the interactions among them. After updating our understanding of each component's contribution to barrier function, we discuss recent efforts to examine how the components interact. Recent studies demonstrate that claudin-19 regulates multiple aspects of RPE's barrier function and identifies a barrier function whereby mutations of claudin-19 affect retinal development. Co-culture approaches to reconstitute components of the outer blood-retinal barrier are beginning to reveal two-way interactions between the RPE and choriocapillaris. These interactions affect barrier function and the composition of the intervening Bruch's membrane. Normal or disease models of Bruch's membrane, reconstituted with healthy or diseased RPE, demonstrate adverse effects of diseased matrix on RPE metabolism. A stumbling block for reconstitution studies is the substrates typically used to culture cells are inadequate substitutes for Bruch's membrane. Together with human stem cells, the alternative substrates that have been designed offer an opportunity to engineer second-generation culture models of the outer blood-retinal barrier.

Stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium from patients with age-related macular degeneration exhibit reduced metabolism and matrix interactions.

Modeling age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is challenging, because it is a multifactorial disease. To focus on interactions between the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and Bruch's membrane, we generated RPE from AMD patients and used an altered extracellular matrix (ECM) that models aged Bruch's membrane. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were generated from fibroblasts isolated from AMD patients or age-matched (normal) controls. RPE derived from iPSCs were analyzed by morphology, marker expression, transepithelial electrical resistance (TER), and phagocytosis of rod photoreceptor outer segments. Cell attachment and viability was tested on nitrite-modified ECM, a typical modification of aged Bruch's membrane. DNA microarrays with hierarchical clustering and analysis of mitochondrial function were used to elucidate possible mechanisms for the observed phenotypes. Differentiated RPE displayed cell-specific morphology and markers. The TER and phagocytic capacity were similar among iPSC-derived RPE cultures. However, distinct clusters were found for the transcriptomes of AMD and control iPSC-derived RPE. AMD-derived iPSC-RPE downregulated genes responsible for metabolic-related pathways and cell attachment. AMD-derived iPSC-RPE exhibited reduced mitochondrial respiration and ability to attach and survive on nitrite-modified ECM. Cells that did attach induced the expression of complement genes. Despite reprogramming, iPSC derived from AMD patients yielded RPE with a transcriptome that is distinct from that of age-matched controls. When challenged with an AMD-like modification of Bruch's membrane, AMD-derived iPSC-RPE activated the complement immune system.

Disease-associated mutations of claudin-19 disrupt retinal neurogenesis and visual function.

Mutations of claudin-19 cause Familial Hypomagnesaemia and Hypercalciuria, Nephrocalcinosis with Ocular Involvement. To study the ocular disease without the complications of the kidney disease, naturally occurring point mutations of human CLDN19 were recreated in human induced pluripotent cells or overexpressed in the retinae of newborn mice. In human induced pluripotent cells, we show that the mutation affects retinal neurogenesis and maturation of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). In mice, the mutations diminish the P1 wave of the electroretinogram, activate apoptosis in the outer nuclear layer, and alter the morphology of bipolar cells. If mice are given 9-cis-retinal to counter the loss of retinal isomerase, the P1 wave is partially restored. The ARPE19 cell line fails to express claudin-19. Exogenous expression of wild type, but not mutant claudin-19, increases the expression of RPE signature genes. Mutated claudin-19 affects multiple stages of RPE and retinal differentiation through its effects on multiple functions of the RPE.

Neferine, is not inducer but blocker for macroautophagic flux targeting on lysosome malfunction.

Neferine, an alkaloid isolated from Lotus seeds, displays multiple pharmacological effects that counter cancer, oxidants, and arrhythmia. It was initially identified as a strong inducer for macroautophagy in cancer cells by suppressing AMPK/mTOR signaling. In this study, we found that autophagy signaling was inhibited in the condition of neferine treatment. Exposure to neferine resulted in the accumulation of LC3-II and an associated adaptor protein, p62/SQSTM1. Knockdown of ATG5 failed to reduce the accumulation of LC3-II induced by neferine. The electron microscopy (EM) images showed that neferine induce accumulation of multi-vesicle bodies (MVB) and failure of lysosome maturation. Moreover, exposure to neferine reduced maturation of cathepsin D and impaired the degradation of autophagic and phagocytic cargos. Rather than stimulate autophagic flux, the data indicate that neferine impaired lysosomes to block degradation within phagolysosomes.

A biodegradable scaffold enhances differentiation of embryonic stem cells into a thick sheet of retinal cells.

Retinal degeneration is a leading cause of blindness in developed countries. Stem cells can be differentiated into retinal organoids to study mechanisms of retinal degeneration, develop therapeutic agents, and potentially serve as replacement tissues. The spherical nature of these retinoids limits their utility, because the investigator lacks ready access to both sides of the neo-tissue. For tissue-replacement, spherical retinoids are unable to interact simultaneously with the host retinal pigment epithelium and remaining neurosensory retina. To attempt making a planar retinoid, we developed a biodegradable scaffold that simulates the extracellular matrix of the neurosensory retina. Human embryonic stem cells were seeded on the scaffold. Differentiation into retinal cells was confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR, confocal immunocytochemistry, and immunoblotting. The scaffold favored differentiation into retinal cell types over other anterior forebrain cells, but retinal lamination was rudimentary. The cultures elicited a minimal immune response when implanted into the subretinal space of a mouse model of retinal degeneration. The implants survived for at least 12 weeks, but there was evidence of cytoplasmic transfer rather than implantation into the outer nuclear layer (photoreceptor layer). However, some implanted cells migrated to the inner layers of the retina and established elaborate arbors of neurites.

Effects of diabetic retinopathy on the barrier functions of the retinal pigment epithelium.

Diabetic retinopathy is a debilitating microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus. A rich literature describes the breakdown of retinal endothelial cells and the inner blood-retinal barrier, but the effects of diabetes on the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) has received much less attention. RPE lies between the choroid and neurosensory retina to form the outer blood-retinal barrier. RPE's specialized and dynamic barrier functions are crucial for maintaining retinal health. RPE barrier functions include a collection of interrelated structures and activities that regulate the transepithelial movement of solutes, including: diffusion through the paracellular spaces, facilitated diffusion through the cells, active transport, receptor-mediated and bulk phase transcytosis, and metabolic processing of solutes in transit. In the later stages of diabetic retinopathy, the tight junctions that regulate the paracellular space begin to disassemble, but there are earlier effects on the other aspects of RPE barrier function, particularly active transport and metabolic processing. With advanced understanding of RPE-specific barrier functions, and more in vivo-like culture models, the time is ripe for revisiting experiments in the literature to resolve controversies and extend our understanding of how diabetes affects the outer blood-retinal barrier.

Claudin-3 and claudin-19 partially restore native phenotype to ARPE-19 cells via effects on tight junctions and gene expression.

Mutations of claudin-19 cause severe ocular deficits that are not easily reconciled with its role in regulating the outer blood retinal barrier. ARPE-19 is a widely used culture model of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). ARPE-19 is unique among epithelial cell lines, because it expresses all tight junction proteins except claudin family members. ARPE-19 also loses aspects of the RPE phenotype with cell passage. This study asks whether exogenous expression of the main RPE claudins, claudin-3 and claudin-19, would restore RPE phenotype, and whether these claudins have distinct roles in RPE. An Ussing chamber was used to measure the transepithelial electrical resistance and transepithelial electrical potential. These measurements were used to estimate the permeability co-efficients of ions. The transepithelial diffusion of polyethylene glycols were used to examine the leak pathway of tight junctions. Wound-healing, quantitative RT-PCR and immunoblotting examined diverse aspects of the RPE phenotype. Over-expression of either claudin decreased the permeability of small ions and polyethylene glycol. Both claudins were slightly cation-specific, but claudin-3 was less permeable to large solutes. Claudin expression widely affected gene expression to partially restore RPE phenotype. Claudins redistributed filamentous actin from stress fibers to circumferential bands associated with tight junctions, and made wound-healing more epithelial-like. Both claudins increased the expression of genes related to RPE core functions and increased steady-state levels of phosphorylated-AKT. In conclusion, claudin-3 and claudin-19 formed general permeability barriers and affected cell morphology, proliferation, migration, AKT signaling, and gene expression. When claudins are exogenously expressed, ARPE-19 more closely model native RPE.

Human Adult Retinal Pigment Epithelial Stem Cell-Derived RPE Monolayers Exhibit Key Physiological Characteristics of Native Tissue.

PURPOSE: We tested what native features have been preserved with a new culture protocol for adult human RPE. METHODS: We cultured RPE from adult human eyes. Standard protocols for immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, electrophysiology, fluid transport, and ELISA were used. RESULTS: Confluent monolayers of adult human RPE cultures exhibit characteristics of native RPE. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated polarized expression of RPE markers. Electron microscopy illustrated characteristics of native RPE. The mean transepithelial potential (TEP) was 1.19 ± 0.24 mV (mean ± SEM, n = 31), apical positive, and the mean transepithelial resistance (RT) was 178.7 ± 9.9 Ω·cm2 (mean ± SEM, n = 31). Application of 100 µM adenosine triphosphate (ATP) apically increased net fluid absorption (Jv) by 6.11 ± 0.53 µL·cm2·h-1 (mean ± SEM, n = 6) and TEP by 0.33 ± 0.048 mV (mean ± SEM, n = 25). Gene expression of cultured RPE was comparable to native adult RPE (n = 5); however, native RPE RNA was harvested between 24 and 40 hours after death and, therefore, may not accurately reflect healthy native RPE. Vascular endothelial growth factor secreted preferentially basally 2582 ± 146 pg/mL/d, compared to an apical secretion of 1548 ± 162 pg/mL/d (n = 14, P < 0.01), while PEDF preferentially secreted apically 1487 ± 280 ng/mL/d compared to a basolateral secretion of 864 ± 132 ng/mL/d (n = 14, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The new culture model preserves native RPE morphology, electrophysiology, and gene and protein expression patterns, and may be a useful model to study RPE physiology, disease, and transplantation.

TRP Channels Localize to Subdomains of the Apical Plasma Membrane in Human Fetal Retinal Pigment Epithelium.

PURPOSE: Calcium regulates many functions of the RPE. Its concentration in the subretinal space and RPE cytoplasm is closely regulated. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are a superfamily of ion channels that are moderately calcium-selective. This study investigates the subcellular localization and potential functions of TRP channels in a first-passage culture model of human fetal RPE (hfRPE). METHODS: The RPE isolated from 15- to 16-week gestation fetuses were maintained in serum-free media. Cultures were treated with barium chloride (BaCl2) in the absence and presence of TRP channel inhibitors and monitored by the transepithelial electrical resistance (TER). The expression of TRP channels was determined using quantitative RT-PCR, immunoblotting, and immunofluorescence confocal microscopy. RESULTS: Barium chloride substantially decreased TER and disrupted cell-cell contacts when added to the apical surface of RPE, but not when added to the basolateral surface. The effect could be partially blocked by the general TRP inhibitor, lanthanum chloride (LaCl3, ~75%), or an inhibitor of calpain (~25%). Family member-specific inhibitors, ML204 (TRPC4) and HC-067047 (TRPV4), had no effect on basal channel activity. Expression of TRPC4, TRPM1, TRPM3, TRPM7, and TRPV4 was detected by RT-PCR and immunoblotting. The TRPM3 localized to the base of the primary cilium, and TRPC4 and TRPM3 localized to apical tight junctions. The TRPV4 localized to apical microvilli in a small subset of cells. CONCLUSIONS: The TRP channels localized to subdomains of the apical membrane, and BaCl2 was only able to dissociate tight junctions when presented to the apical membrane. The data suggest a potential role for TRP channels as sensors of [Ca(2+)] in the subretinal space.

The student's dilemma, liver edition: incorporating the sonographer's language into clinical anatomy education.

Anatomy students are often confused by multiple names ascribed to the same structure by different clinical disciplines. Increasingly, sonography is being incorporated into clinical anatomical education, but ultrasound textbooks often use names unfamiliar to the anatomist. Confusion is worsened when ultrasound names ascribed to the same structure actually refer to different structures. Consider the sonographic main lobar fissure (MLF). The sonographic MLF is a hyper-echoic landmark used by sonographers of the right upper quadrant. Found in approximately 70% of people, there is little consensus on what the sonographic MLF is anatomically. This structure appears to be related to the main portal fissure (aka principal plane of the liver or principal hepatic fissure), initially described by anatomists and surgeons as in intrahepatic division along the middle hepatic vein which in essence divides the territories of the left and right hepatic arteries and biliary systems. By exploring the relationship between the main portal fissure and the sonographic MLF in cadaveric livers ex vivo, the data suggest the sonographic MLF is actually an extrahepatic structure that parallels the rim of the main portal fissure. The authors recommend that this structure be renamed the "sonographic cystic pedicle," which includes the cystic duct and ensheathing fat and blood vessels. In the context of the redefined underlying anatomy, the absence of the sonographic cystic pedicle due to anatomic variation may serve an important clinical role in predicting complications from difficult laparoscopic cholecystectomies and is deserving of future study.

Barrier properties of cultured retinal pigment epithelium.

The principal function of an epithelium is to form a dynamic barrier that regulates movement between body compartments. Each epithelium is specialized with barrier functions that are specific for the tissues it serves. The apical surface commonly faces a lumen, but the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) appears to be unique by a facing solid tissue, the sensory retina. Nonetheless, there exists a thin (subretinal) space that can become fluid filled during pathology. RPE separates the subretinal space from the blood supply of the outer retina, thereby forming the outer blood-retinal barrier. The intricate interaction between the RPE and sensory retina presents challenges for learning how accurately culture models reflect native behavior. The challenge is heightened by findings that detail the variation of RPE barrier proteins both among species and at different stages of the life cycle. Among the striking differences is the expression of claudin family members. Claudins are the tight junction proteins that regulate ion diffusion across the spaces that lie between the cells of a monolayer. Claudin expression by RPE varies with species and life-stage, which implies functional differences among commonly used animal models. Investigators have turned to transcriptomics to supplement functional studies when comparing native and cultured tissue. The most detailed studies of the outer blood-retinal barrier have focused on human RPE with transcriptome and functional studies reported for human fetal, adult, and stem-cell derived RPE.

Engineering a blood-retinal barrier with human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium: transcriptome and functional analysis.

Retinal degenerations are a major cause of impaired vision in the elderly. Degenerations originate in either photoreceptors or the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). RPE forms the outer blood-retinal barrier and functions intimately with photoreceptors. Animal models and cultures of RPE are commonly used to screen potential pharmaceuticals or explore RPE replacement therapy, but human RPE differs from that of other species. Human RPE forms a barrier using tight junctions composed of a unique set of claudins, proteins that determine the permeability and selectivity of tight junctions. Human adult RPE fails to replicate these properties in vitro. To develop a culture model for drug development and tissue-engineering human retina, RPE were derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). Barrier properties of RPE derived from the H1 and H9 hESC lines were compared with a well-regarded model of RPE function, human fetal RPE isolated from 16-week-gestation fetuses (hfRPE). A serum-free medium (SFM-1) that enhanced the redifferentiation of hfRPE in culture also furthered the maturation of hESC-derived RPE. In SFM-1, the composition, selectivity, and permeability of tight junctions were similar to those of hfRPE. Comparison of the transcriptomes by RNA sequencing and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction revealed a high correlation between the hESCs and hfRPE, but there were notable differences in the expression of adhesion junction and membrane transport genes. These data indicated that hESC-derived RPE is highly differentiated but may be less mature than RPE isolated from 16-week fetuses. The study identified a panel of genes to monitor the maturation of RPE.

Effects of proinflammatory cytokines on the claudin-19 rich tight junctions of human retinal pigment epithelium.

PURPOSE: Chronic, subclinical inflammation contributes to the pathogenesis of several ocular diseases, including age-related macular degeneration. Proinflammatory cytokines affect tight junctions in epithelia that lack claudin-19, but in the retinal pigment epithelium claudin-19 predominates. We examined the effects of cytokines on the tight junctions of human fetal RPE (hfRPE). METHODS: hfRPE was incubated with interleukin 1-beta (IL-1ß), interferon-gamma (IFNγ), or tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα), alone or in combination. Permeability and selectivity of the tight junctions were assessed using nonionic tracers and electrophysiology. Claudins, occludin, and ZO-1 were examined using PCR, immunoblotting, and confocal immunofluorescence microscopy. RESULTS: Only TNFα consistently reduced transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) >80%. A serum-free medium revealed two effects of TNFα: (1) decreased TER was observed only when TNFα was added to the apical side of the monolayer, and (2) expression of TNFα receptors and inhibitors of apoptosis were induced from either side of the monolayer. In untreated cultures, tight junctions were slightly cation selective, and this was affected minimally by TNFα. The results were unexplained by effects on claudin-2, claudin-3, claudin-19, occludin, and ZO-1, but changes in the morphology of the junctions and actin cytoskeleton may have a role. CONCLUSIONS: Claudin-19-rich tight junctions have low permeability for ionic and nonionic solutes, and are slightly cation-selective. Claudin-19 is not a direct target of TNFα. TNFα may protect RPE from apoptosis, but makes the monolayer leaky when it is presented to the apical side of the monolayer. Unlike other epithelia, IFNγ failed to augment the effect of TNFα on tight junctions.