Fig. 6.

SHH-N promotes opsin expression in cultured rat retinal cells. E18 rat retinal cells were cultured for 4, 6, 8, 10, and 14 DIV in the presence or absence of SHH-N protein, and the percentages of the total cells in the cultures that expressed rod opsin and recoverin were determined. A, In control cultures, the percentage of cells that expressed recoverin increased with time in culture up to 40%; however, the percentages of cells that expressed opsin only reached 10%, even after 14 DIV. B, In contrast, the percentages of recoverin⁺ and opsin⁺ cells increased in parallel in the SHH-N-treated cultures, and both antibodies labeled ∼40% of the retinal cells after 14 DIV.