Low oxygen culture conditions for maintaining retinal progenitor cell multipotency

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods for culturing human retinal progenitor cells under low oxygen conditions to allow the cells to retain the ability to differentiate into photoreceptors following transplantation. The described methods provide cells that can treat a number of ocular diseases, including retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A composition comprising an isolated, expanded substantially homogenous population of multipotent retinal progenitor cells and a stabilizer or a preservative, wherein the retinal progenitor cells express heterodimers of both HIF1 alpha with the aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT also known as HIF1β) and HIF2 alpha with the aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator 2 (ARNT2 also known as HIF2β) and wherein the retinal progenitor cells are expanded in culture media at a level of from about 1% to about 6% oxygen concentration.