bstract
Vertebrate photoreceptor cells are polarized neurons highly specialized for light absorption and visual signal transduction. Photoreceptor
cells consist of the light sensitive outer segment and the biosynthetic active inner segment linked by a slender connecting cilium.
The function of mature photoreceptor cells is strictly dependent on this compartmentalization which is maintained in the specialized retinal
environment. To keep this fragile morphologic and functional composition for further cell biological studies and treatments we established
organotypic retina cultures of mature mice and Xenopus laevis. The organotypic retina cultures of both model organisms are
created as co-cultures of the retina and the pigment epithelium, still attached to outer segments of the photoreceptor cells. To demonstrate
the suitability of the culture system for physiological analyses we performed apoptotic cell death analyses and veriWed photoreceptor viability.
Furthermore, light-dependent bidirectional movements of arrestin and transducin in photoreceptors in vivo and in the retinal cultures
were indistinguishable indicating normal photoreceptor cell-biologic function in organotypic cultures. Our established culture
systems allow the analysis of mature photoreceptor cells and their accessibility to treatments, characteristic for common cell culture.
Furthermore, this culturing technique also provides an appropriate system for gene delivery to retinal cells and will serve to simulate gene
therapeutic approaches prior to diYcult and time-consuming in vivo experiments.