Exploration of physical and chemical cues on retinal cell fate.

Identification of the key components in the physical and chemical milieu directing donor cells into a desired phenotype is a requirement in the investigation of bioscaffolds for the advancement of cell-based therapies for retinal neurodegeneration. We explore the effect of electrospun poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) fiber scaffold topography and functionalization and culture medium, on the behavior of mouse retinal cells. Dissociated mouse retinal post-natal cells were seeded on random or aligned oriented fibers, with or without laminin coating and cultured with either basic or neurotrophins enriched medium for 7days. Addition of laminin in combination with neurotrophins clearly promoted cell- morphology, fate, and neurite extension. Nanotopography per se significantly affected cell morphology, with mainly bipolar profiles on aligned fibers and more multipolar profiles on random fibers. Laminin induced a remarkable 90° switch of neurite orientation. Herewith, we demonstrate that the chemical cue is stronger than the physical cue for the orientation of retinal neurites and describe the requirement of both neurotrophins and extracellular matrix proteins for extended neurite outgrowth and formation of complex retinal neuronal networks. Therefore, tailor-made PCL fiber mats, which can be physically and chemically modified, indeed influence cell behavior and hence motivate further retinal restorative studies using this system.

Three-dimensional functional human neuronal networks in uncompressed low-density electrospun fiber scaffolds.

We demonstrate an artificial three-dimensional (3D) electrical active human neuronal network system, by the growth of brain neural progenitors in highly porous low density electrospun poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) fiber scaffolds. In neuroscience research cell-based assays are important experimental instruments for studying neuronal function in health and disease. Traditional cell culture at 2D-surfaces induces abnormal cell-cell contacts and network formation. Hence, there is a tremendous need to explore in vivo-resembling 3D neural cell culture approaches. We present an improved electrospinning method for fabrication of scaffolds that promote neuronal differentiation into highly 3D integrated networks, formation of inhibitory and excitatory synapses and extensive neurite growth. Notably, in 3D scaffolds in vivo-resembling intermixed neuronal and glial cell network were formed, whereas in parallel 2D cultures a neuronal cell layer grew separated from an underlying glial cell layer. Hence, the use of the 3D cell assay presented will most likely provide more physiological relevant results.

Inflamed In Vitro Retina: Cytotoxic Neuroinflammation and Galectin-3 Expression.

BACKGROUND: Disease progression in retinal neurodegeneration is strongly correlated to immune cell activation, which may have either a neuroprotective or neurotoxic effect. Increased knowledge about the immune response profile and retinal neurodegeneration may lead to candidate targets for treatments. Therefore, we have used the explanted retina as a model to explore the immune response and expression of the immune modulator galectin-3 (Gal-3), induced by the cultivation per se and after additional immune stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and how this correlates with retinal neurotoxicity. METHODS: Post-natal mouse retinas were cultured in a defined medium. One group was stimulated with LPS (100 ng/ml, 24 h). Retinal architecture, apoptotic cell death, and micro- and macroglial activity were studied at the time of cultivation (0 days in vitro (DIV)) and at 3, 4 and 7 DIV using morphological staining, biochemical- and immunohistochemical techniques. RESULTS: Our results show that sustained activation of macro- and microglia, characterized by no detectable cytokine release and limited expression of Gal-3, is not further inducing apoptosis additional to the axotomy-induced apoptosis in innermost nuclear layer. An elevated immune response was detected after LPS stimulation, as demonstrated primarily by release of immune mediators (i.e. interleukin 2 (IL-2), IL-6, KC/GRO (also known as CLCX1) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)), increased numbers of microglia displaying morphologies of late activation stages as well as Gal-3 expression. This was accompanied with increased apoptosis in the two additional nuclear layers, and damage to retinal gross architecture. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that an immune response characterized by sustained and increased release of cytokines, along with an increase in Gal-3 expression, is accompanied by significant increased neurotoxicity in the explanted retina. Further investigations using the current setting may lead to increased understanding on the mechanisms involved in neuronal loss in retinal neurodegenerations.