Opsin gene expressin in the photoreceptor cells isolated from transgenic mice habouring temperature sensitive simian virus 40 LargeT-A NTIGEN GENE

Purpose: Immortalization of cell lines with specific functions is important for examination of organ-specific functk ns in vitro.To accomplish this purpose,we have tried to establish a photoreceptor cell line from the neural retina of transgenic mice harbouring temperature sensitive SV40 largeT-antigen gene. Methods: Neural retinas were obtained from the transgenic mice (2-month-old ).After limiting dilution.several clones wen: obtained and were immunostained with antibodies against opsin and S-antigen m-RNA from these cells were extracted and reverse transcnptase-polymerase cha n reaction(RT-PCR) was performed.PCR product was used for sequence anal; sis. Results : Opsin gene expression of these cells was observed.These cells are ma ntained and continued to grow by more than 100 generations in a medium with 10% fetal bovine serum,33%chick RPE conditioned medium,and 33%SV40 neural retina conditioned medium. Conclusion: This cell line may share properties consistent with normal photoreceptor cells and the avail ibility of monolayer cultures of these photoreceptor cells may enable th< in vitro analysis of factors controlling pholoreceptor cell differentiation an.l mechanism regulating the lormation and maintenance of membrane domains.