In retinal degenerative disorders, such as age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa neural retinal cells are damaged. Neural retinal cell transplantation is one of the most promising therapeutic approaches in treatment of vision loss. Retinal pigment epithelia (RPE) is a monolayer of highly specialized hexagonal-shaped cells, located between the neurosensory retina and the choroid. RPE cells represent stem cell like behaviors in cell culture. They could differentiate into neural retinal cells. Optogenetic tools activate relative signaling pathway and culminate to neural differentiation in candidate cells. This study aims to induce neural differentiation of RPE cells by Opto-mGluR6 expression.

Opto-mGluR6 gene was cloned into pAAV-MCS-IRES-EGFP plasmid. To check the accuracy of cloning, the resultant constructs were subjected to digestion and sequencing experiments. Mouse RPE (mRPE) cells were transfected with the constructs using calcium phosphate precipitation method. After 48 hours, expression of constructs was examined.

pAAV-MCS-IRES-EGFP-Opto-mGluR6 plasmid was constructed. Sequence analysis revealed the true identity of the construct. Gene expression for Opto-mGluR6 was confirmed in transfected mRPE cells.

Opto-mGluR6 expression, in mRPE cell culture was successfully established.