Retinal ganglion cells and astrocytes grown from stem cells in a dish

Ganging Up on the Retina

These green strings are retinal ganglion cells that have been newly grown from stem cells in a dish. These cells are normally found in the retina, at the back of the eye. They send light information gathered by light-sensitive cells to the brain via a structure called the optic nerve.  

Learn more
Retinal ganglion cells and astrocytes grown from stem cells in a dish

alertMedia For Educational Use Only

NIHdownloadDownload

Ganging Up on the Retina

These green strings are retinal ganglion cells that have been newly grown from stem cells in a dish. These cells are normally found in the retina, at the back of the eye. They send light information gathered by light-sensitive cells to the brain via a structure called the optic nerve.  

What am I looking at?

Here we see a mixture of different retinal cells grown from stem cells in the lab. The green cells are retinal ganglion cells (1). The red/pink cells are a type of glia called astrocytes (2). The blue dots are the nuclei of all cells (3). Where the image appears yellow are spots where the green of the retinal ganglion cells and the red of the astrocytes overlap. Similarly, purple areas represent where the blue of the nuclei and the red of the astrocytes overlap.

Biology in the Background

This image shows a subset of retinal cells called retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). These cells gather information from photoreceptor cells (which detect light) and relay it to different parts of the brain, such as the visual cortex and the suprachiasmatic nucleus (the area of the brain that controls bodily rhythms such as sleep/wake), via projections that group together to form the optic nerve.  

Like all neurons, RGCs need support from another group of cells called glia. Glial cells are the guardians and support systems of neurons in the nervous system. This image shows a specific type of glial cell called an astrocyte. Astrocytes aid RGCs by providing them with structural support and nutrients. They also help to maintain the blood brain barrier.  

By growing this mixture of cells in the lab from stem cells, researchers can study the growth and interactions between RGCs as well as between RGCs and astrocytes. This knowledge could be foundational for additional research on repairing the retina and the optic nerve after damage due to injury or diseases such as glaucoma.

The cell bodies of human RGCs are relatively small, averaging around 10 micrometers across (about 7.5 times smaller than the width of a human hair). However, their axons can grow very long, up to 50 millimeters (almost the length of your pinky finger). Astrocytes can grow up to 400 micrometers across, about 5 times larger than the width of a human hair.

Technique

This image was created using fluorescence microscopy.  

tagsTags
Contributor(s)

National Eye Institute, NIH