Molecular characterization and functional analysis of phagocytosis by human embryonic stem cell-derived RPE cells using a novel human retinal assay.

Abstract

The ingestion of photoreceptor outer segments from an isolated population and an artificial ex vivo human retina system demonstrates HESC-derived RPE cells are functional. HESC-derived RPE possess the relevant molecules required for phagocytosis, including MERTK, which is essential for the phagocytosis of outer segments but not latex beads. Furthermore, some changes observed in cell morphology after co-culture with human retina may have implications for understanding the full development and differentiation of RPE cells.