Mouse retinal histogenesis in the context of cell autonomous Hedgehog signalling pathway activation

Abstract

The adult mouse retina is a laminated assemblage of specialized neurons and glia, which serves as a model system for cell type specification in the CNS (central nervous system). The multiple cell types in the retina are derived from a retinal neuroepithelium, which contains multipotent retinal precursor cells (RPCs) that differentiate into specific retinal cell types. The morphogen Shh is expressed in the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), and signals to the RPCs located in the overlying neuroblast layer of the developing retina. To distinguish between cell- and non-cell autonomous effects of the Hh signalling pathway activation in the RPCs, I have examined the effects of constitutive cell-autonomous activation of the Hh signalling pathway in the RPCs. The results showed that it promoted proliferation of RPCs and differentiation of the INL (inner nuclear layer) cells in a cell-autonomous way, and also affected the rod photoreceptor differentiation in a non-cell autonomous way.