Cones regenerate from retinal stem cells sequestered in the inner nuclear layer of adult goldfish retina.

PURPOSE To determine whether retinal progenitor cells in the inner nuclear layer give rise to regenerated cones after laser ablation of photoreceptors in adult goldfish retina. METHODS Using a technique developed previously in this laboratory, photoreceptors in the retina of adult goldfish were ablated with an argon laser. The mitotic marker, bromodeoxyuridine, was used to label proliferating and regenerated cells, which were identified with cell-specific markers. RESULTS Cells proliferating locally within lesion included microglia, Müller glia, and retinal progenitors in the inner nuclear layer (INL). The nuclei of both Müller glia and associated retinal progenitors migrated from the inner to the outer nuclear layer. The proliferating retinal progenitors, which express Notch-3 and N-cadherin, regenerated cone photoreceptors and then rod photoreceptors. CONCLUSIONS Previous work has demonstrated that photoreceptors in the goldfish retina regenerate selectively after laser ablation, but the source of regenerated cones has not been identified. The results reported here provide support for the existence of retinal stem cells within the adult fish retina that are capable of regenerating cone photoreceptors. The data also support the involvement of Müller glia in the production of regenerated cones.