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SUMMARY:The memory of retinal stem cells? - Professor Jochen Wittbrodt\, C
 OS Heidelberg\, Heidelberg University
DTSTART:20141113T143000Z
DTEND:20141113T153000Z
UID:TALK54025@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Caroline Newnham
DESCRIPTION:During the last years\, it has become clear that stem cells in
  culture display a huge degree of heterogeneity when scored for diverse mo
 lecular markers and key factors defining stemness. Live imaging of single 
 progenitor cells in vivo revealed variations at the functional level occur
 ring among neighbor cells within an intact tissue. However\, it has not be
 en possible so far to analyze how these heterogeneities shape/affect/defin
 e organ growth in vivo. Here we exploit the exquisite spatio/temporal orga
 nization of the medaka retina\, in which new cells are incorporated at the
  periphery by constantly active retinal stem cells (RSCs)\, to uncover lon
 g-life decisions of single stem cells in an intact niche. We observe heter
 ogeneities at the cell division level\, with different ratios between symm
 etric and asymmetric divisions along the circumference of the retina. Intr
 iguingly\, the decisions made by individual cells during late embryogenesi
 s are maintained up to 2 years after\, during the entire post-embryonic li
 fe of the fish. Our results demonstrate heterogeneities occurring at the f
 unctional level in vivo among stem cells\, and indicate that these are not
  the result of random or cyclic fluctuations but are rather stable during 
 the adult life. We will present the combination of long term genetic label
 ling and in vivo imaging to trace back the retinal stem cell to their orig
 in in the evaginated optic vesicle and possibly before.
LOCATION:Part II Room\, Department of Genetics
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