Fig. 2: Transcriptomic characterization of hiRPCs by RNAseq analysis.

a Principal component analysis (PCA) of W4 ROs, W6 ROs, hiRPCp0, and hiRPCp2–4. Each point represents one sample and biological replicates are shown in the same color. b Hierarchical clustering of EFTFs and multipotent and neurogenic gene markers in W4 ROS, W6 ROS, hiRPCp0, and hiRPCp2–4. hiRPCs were expanded for one week in RPCM. c Venn diagram of genes expressed in W4 ROs and hiRPCp2 with TPM ≥ 10. d Circular visualization (left panel) and table of the over-represented GO pathways of interest (right panel) identified with Metascape using the DEGs between hiRPCp2 and W4 ROs with a FC ≥ 2, FDR ≤ 0.05, and TPM ≥ 10 in both groups. Red dots (upregulated genes) and blue dots (downregulated genes) represent an overview of regulated genes in hiRPCp2 relative to W4 ROs. Z-score bars indicate whether an entire biological process is more likely to be increased or decreased based on the genes within it. e Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis for upregulated genes with fold change (FC) ≥ 2 in hiRPCp2. f GO enrichment analysis for upregulated genes with FC ≥ 2 and FDR ≤ 0.05 in W4 ROs. g Heatmap of genes with R = (W4 RO TPM) / (W6 RO TPM) > 5. Black dots indicate genes associated with microphthalmia or retinal dystrophies (RDs). hiPSC-5FC-derived cells.