Fig. 7: iRPE cells delay retinal degeneration in rat AMD model.

A Experiment design for iRPE transplantation in SI-induced rat AMD model. B ERG waveforms recorded at different time points (the calibration indicates 200 μV vertically and 25 ms horizontally). C Quantitative analysis of ERG b-wave amplitude (n = 10, P value measured by one-way ANOVA and post hoc Bonferroni’s test). D Representative micrographs of retinal samples at week 6 post-transplantation. The injection sites were pointed by arrows, and ONL was between yellow dashed lines. E Quantitative analysis of ONL thickness (μm) (n = 6, P value measured by one-way ANOVA and post hoc Bonferroni’s test). F Representative micrographs of retinal cryosections stained with TUNEL. G Statistical analysis of the percentage of the apoptotic cells in ONL (n = 6, P value measured by one-way ANOVA and post hoc Bonferroni’s test). H Immunostaining of hUCMSCs and iRPE cells after transplantation in vivo for 4 weeks. I Quantitative analysis of percent of immunostaining+ cells of grafted cells (n = 7, P value measured by Student’s unpaired t test). J The level of PEDF secreted by hUCMSCs and iRPE cells were determined by ELISA (n = 4, P value measured by Student’s unpaired t test). Scale bar = 50 μm. Results are expressed as mean ± SD; **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, compared with PBS group; ^#P < 0.05, ^##P < 0.01 compared with hUCMSC group; ^$P < 0.05 compared with PBS group.