# Modeling Photoreceptor Migration in Biomimetic Microenvironments to Optimize Transplantation

> **NIH NIH SC3** · HERBERT H. LEHMAN COLLEGE · 2024 · $102,027

## Abstract

SC3 Renewal Project Summary
Photoreceptor loss due to degenerative retinopathy is a leading cause of adult vision loss. Transplantation of
photoreceptor precursor cells (PPCs) into adult retina is an exciting strategy for replacing lost photoreceptors
and restoring vision in mice. However, a major obstacle to advancement of this approach is extremely limited
migration of transplanted cells through the interphotoreceptor matrix (IPM) and into the retina. Our laboratory
has discovered, that PPCs express a number of migratory receptors which guide migration to retinal ligands in
vitro. We hypothesize that receptor-driven, haptotactic and chemotactic mechanisms can be exploited to
optimize PPC migration through the IPM and into the retina. Our first goal in this project is to characterize PPC
haptotaxis to bound IPM ligands and chemotaxis to soluble retinal ligands using our established bioinformatics
database and microfluidics platform. We will characterize chemotaxis driven by the top three expressed PPC
receptors to their corresponding soluble retinal ligands, KDR-VEGF, PDGFR-PDGF, and RET-GDNF,
receptors-ligands respectively. And we will analyze haptotaxis driven by the top two haptotactic PPC receptors
ITGAM and ITGB1 to IPM ligands chondroitin sulfate and fibronectin. Next, we will examine the extent to which
modulation of haptotactic and chemotactic receptors will increase migration in vitro and in a rhodopsin
knockout, degenerative retinopathy retina model ex vivo. Lastly, we will analyze receptor protein levels of
PPCs migrated into the IPM and retina to validate our current data and define novel mechanisms of PPC
migration. The combined cross-disciplinary approach will provide data to move PPC transplantation forward for
the restoration of vision.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10798340
- **Project number:** 5SC3GM113782-08
- **Recipient organization:** HERBERT H. LEHMAN COLLEGE
- **Principal Investigator:** Stephen M Redenti
- **Activity code:** SC3 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $102,027
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2015-07-15 → 2025-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10798340

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10798340, Modeling Photoreceptor Migration in Biomimetic Microenvironments to Optimize Transplantation (5SC3GM113782-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10798340. Licensed CC0.

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