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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2018 Dec 18.
Published in final edited form as: Dev Cell. 2017 Dec 7;43(6):763–779.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2017.10.029

Figure 4. Photoreceptor development in the human fetal retina.

Figure 4

A. Human fetal retinae from ages D59–D110 were stained with photoreceptor markers. Each of the photoreceptor markers are shown in green and nuclei were counterstained with DAPI (magenta). A single layer of photoreceptors was already present at D59, some of which were AIPL1+ and RCVRN+. The first OPN1SW+ cell was detected at D67 and OPN1MW/LW was detected at D110. Foveas older than D67 were generally defined as a zone free of S-Opsin and NR2E3 immunoreactivity. B. Retinal structure and AIPL1 and NR2E3 expression were compared between mid-temporal (B) and temporal peripheral edge (B′) of a D110 retina. Nuclear layers were not separated yet and NR2E3 expression was just beginning at the retinal edge. C. Heatmap for RNA-seq analysis of pan photoreceptor, cone, and rod genes show a steady increase over time. Blue indicates low and red indicates high gene expression. D. In situ hybridization of NRL mRNA at D89. The composite image shows the NRL-free fovea; NRL expression rapidly increases from the foveal edge and reaches the periphery (bottom right panel). E. A composite image of D110 fovea and 450 μm perifovea towards temporal retina. Immunostaining with OPN1SW (yellow) and a rod-specific marker NR2E3 (blue) showed a sharp increase in rod generation adjacent to the fovea. E′. A subset of these rods expressed RHO (blue). Scale bars for A–C: 50 μm.