Self-organising aggregates of zebrafish retinal cells for investigating mechanisms of neural lamination

Research Overview

To investigate the cell–cell interactions needed to form retinal layers, this study cultured dissociated zebrafish retinal progenitors in agarose microwells. Within hours the cells re-aggregated into tight retinal organoids. Using a Spectrum of Fates zebrafish line, in which each retinal neuron type carries a distinct fluorescent spectrum, the authors could watch how the aggregates organized.

By 48 hours in culture the organoids were coarsely but clearly laminated: retinal pigment epithelium cells sat in the center, photoreceptors and bipolar cells next, and amacrine and retinal ganglion cells on the outside. Image analysis yielded quantitative lamination measures, which showed that Müller glia — but not RPE cells — are essential for this self-organization.