Theses
Date of Award
2020
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Biological Sciences
First Advisor
Stephen Redenti
Second Advisor
Julio Gallego-Delgado
Third Advisor
Haiping Cheng
Abstract
Given the limited regenerative capacity of the mammalian retina, cell-replacement strategies are necessary. To replace photoreceptors lost to disease or trauma and restore visual function, laboratories throughout the world are researching photoreceptors replacement strategies using subretinal transplantation of retinal progenitor cells (RPCs). A major obstacle to the advancement of photoreceptor cell-replacement strategies includes low rates of invasion and integration of transplanted cells into the host retina. Currently, there is a limited understanding of how RPC glycolysis may facilitate invasion. To further understand RPC glycolysis-driven invasion, the current investigation involved the bioenergetic modulation RPCs for glycolysis analysis and invasion modeling. The glycolysis analysis detected the concentration of glycolytic-lactate secreted by the cells, while the invasion modeling captured the number of invasive cells. We report here that RPCs treated with glucose, secreted increased glycolytic-lactate and exhibited increased invasion in a concentration-dependent manner. Our results demonstrate that the invasion of RPCs is energetically influenced by glycolysis. Thus, imparting glycolysis as a key component in the invasion of RPCs. This work extends our understanding of the bioenergetic needs of RPC invasion.
Recommended Citation
Espinal, Jei, "Bioenergetic Modulation of Retinal Progenitor Cell Glycolysis to Drive Invasion for Photoreceptor Replacement" (2020). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/le_etds/4
