article · Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology · 2025
Molecular analysis of RAX2-regulated retinal development using human retinal organoids at a single-cell resolution
Shaojun Wang, Yi Sun, Jie Na, Yué Huang, Guang Liu
Cited by 0Open access
Abstract
Human embryonic stem cells (hESC)-derived retinal organoids are sophisticated <i>in vitro</i> systems for dissecting the complex dynamics of human retinal development. The formation of the human retina is a precisely organized process that depends on the regulated differentiation of retinal progenitor cells; however, many of the basic mechanisms remain to be explored. Here, using hESC-derived retinal organoids, we elucidated the temporal contribution of RAX2 to retinal development, with an emphasis on photoreceptor cells (PC) formation. The results were corroborated using human fetal retinal tissue at various gestational ages. Using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene knockout, we delineated the essential role of RAX2 in modulating PC specifications. <i>RAX2</i> deficiency significantly altered the expression of <i>PAX6</i> and <i>SOX2</i>, two essential regulators of retinogenesis. Our results suggested that RAX2 is significant in retinal development, underpinning its potential as a therapeutic target in related retinal disorders.
Cite this paper
Wang, S., Sun, Y., Na, J., Huang, Y., & Liu, G. (2025). Molecular analysis of RAX2-regulated retinal development using human retinal organoids at a single-cell resolution. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 13, 1609826. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2025.1609826
Wang, Shaojun, et al. “Molecular analysis of RAX2-regulated retinal development using human retinal organoids at a single-cell resolution.” Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, vol. 13, 2025, p. 1609826, https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2025.1609826.
Wang, Shaojun, Yi Sun, Jie Na, Yué Huang, and Guang Liu. 2025. “Molecular analysis of RAX2-regulated retinal development using human retinal organoids at a single-cell resolution.” Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 13: 1609826. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2025.1609826.
Wang, S. et al. (2025) ‘Molecular analysis of RAX2-regulated retinal development using human retinal organoids at a single-cell resolution’, Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 13, p. 1609826. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2025.1609826.
@article{wang2025molecular,
title = {{Molecular analysis of RAX2-regulated retinal development using human retinal organoids at a single-cell resolution}},
author = {Wang, Shaojun and Sun, Yi and Na, Jie and Huang, Yué and Liu, Guang},
journal = {Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology},
volume = {13},
pages = {1609826},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.3389/fcell.2025.1609826}
}Made from the index record. Check names, capitalisation and page numbers against the paper. Need another style? AI for Research has over 10,000.