Figure 3.

Neuron-like morphologies were formed by reprogrammed cells in RPE cell cultures infected with RCAS-ash1 (or RCAS-ash1ΔC_rb). A: Under bright-field, a control retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell culture infected with RCAS contained cells densely organized into a mono-layer. B: After fluo-4 AM labeling, these cells were invisible with epifluorescence, due to their low Ca²⁺ levels. C: A calretinin⁺ cell in an RPE cell culture infected with Replication Competent Avian Splice (RCAS)-achaete-scute homolog 1 (ash1) exhibited elaborate cellular processes, reminiscent of neural processes. D: Reprogrammed cells in a RPE cell cultures infected with RCAS-ash1 displayed neuron-like morphologies, as revealed with fluo-4 AM labeling. E: Reprogrammed cells in RCAS-ash1ΔC_rb-infected culture also displayed neuron-like morphologies, as revealed with transfection of with AAV-GFP DNA. Scale bars represents 50 μm.