Figure 5: Material transfer permits robust exchange of an array of gene products including those genetically absent from host photoreceptors.

NrlGFP post-mitotic photoreceptor precursor donor cells were transplanted into adult Gnat1−/− hosts and immunostained for rod α-transducin 5-6 weeks post-transplantation (a–c). Confocal projection images of GFP+ cells (green) in the ONL of host retinae stained for rod α-transducin (red). Nuclei were stained with Hoechst 33342 (blue). Note that in (b) the right hand panel shows the same image but with increased gain for the blue channel to show the nuclei of the RPE: No donor cells were present in the SRS overlying the GFP+/rod α-transducin+ cells. (d), Examples of GFP−/rod α-transducin+ host cells (arrow) were also seen. (e), Histogram showing the mean percentage (±s.d.) of GFP+ photoreceptors within the host ONL that were rod α-transducin+ (n=138 cells; N=4 retinae). f, rod α-transducin staining was seen in the outer segments of both GFP- and DsRed-reporter-labelled photoreceptors (arrow). Scale bars 10 μm.