Figure 7

neurospheres express retinal cell and stem cell markers. Confocal Images of Neurospheres Generated from CD133⁺ retinal cells cultured in FGF2/N2 A Neurosphere expressing Nestin⁺ (red) and DBX⁺cells (green X630) B Neurosphere expressing NF⁺ (red) and DBX⁺ cells (green) X630. C Neurosphere expressing Nestin⁺(red) and GFAP⁺ cells (green X400). D Neurosphere expressing Nestin⁺ (red) and RHOD⁺ cells (green X400). Nuclei counterstained with DAPI (blue). Neurospheres stained with isotype control antibodies did not have any significant fluorescent staining (E, X630, F, X630). Scale bars represent 5 μm (A, B, E) and 10 μm (C, D, F). Histograms represent the distribution of nuclei within neurospheres that have been generated within (G) FGF2/N2 and (H) FGF2/N2 following LIF removal (see methods). Neurospheres generated with pre exposure to LIF had significantly more nuclei within each neurosphere (P < 0.05).