Skip to main content
Figure 2 | BMC Neuroscience

Figure 2

From: Adult ciliary epithelial stem cells generate functional neurons and differentiate into both early and late born retinal neurons under non-cell autonomous influences

Figure 2

Cells in CE neurospheres differentiate into functional neurons. Neurospheres generated by CE stem cells were cultured in the presence of E14CM/PN1CM, and their differentiation into generic neurons was examined. Q-PCR analysis revealed temporal patterns in the acquisition of the expression of neuron-specific marker (β − tubulin, p < 0.0001; and Map2, p < 0.0001) (A, B), tetrodotoxin-sensitive sodium channel (NaV1.1, p = 0.0001; and NaV1.7, p < 0.0001) (C, D), and potassium channels α subunit (Kv1.3, p < 0.0001; and Kv1.5, p = 0.004) (E, F) genes in E14/PN1CM. The levels represent the expression, relative to that in untreated CE cells (ratio). Whole cell voltage clamp recordings revealed fast inward currents in 10.8% (N = 37) of cells in E14CM (G, J) and 19.5% (N = 47) of cells in PN1CM (H, J). The current-voltage (I-V) curve (K) exhibited a typical I-V relationship of voltage gated Na + channels. Cells in both conditions (>80%; N = 37) displayed sustained outward currents conducted most likely by outwardly rectifying K + channels. These currents were not detected in control CE cells (I, K).

Back to article page