| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2077469 | Cell Stem Cell | 2011 | 10 Pages |
SummaryStem cells have the capacity to both self-renew and generate postmitotic cells. Long-term tracking of individual clones in their natural environment constitutes the ultimate way to validate postembryonic stem cells. We identify retinal stem cells (RSCs) using the spatiotemporal organization of the fish retina and follow the complete offspring of a single cell during the postnatal life. RSCs generate two tissues of the adult fish retina, the neural retina (NR) and the retinal-pigmented epithelium (RPE). Despite their common embryonic origin and tight coordination during continuous organ growth, we prove that NR and RPE are maintained by dedicated RSCs that contribute in a fate-restricted manner to either one or the other tissue. We show that in the NR, RSCs are multipotent and generate all neuron types and glia. The clonal origin of these different cell types from a multipotent NSC has far-reaching implications for cell type and tissue homeostasis.
Graphical AbstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload high-quality image (282 K)Download as PowerPoint slideHighlights► Wimbledon fish enables tracking the entire progeny of a stem cell in vivo ► The fish neural retina (NR) contains genuine multipotent neural stem cells ► Every retinal stem cell generated during early embryogenesis is multipotent ► Stem cell lineaging proves an independent maintenance of NR and pigmented epithelium
