Characterization of the role of Bmi1 in the retina
(Jong Eun Ihm, Karine Schouwey & Yvan Arsenijevic)

One of the major challenges concerning retinal stem cells is to understand the mechanisms underlying the precise regulation of their proliferation and differentiation in vitro and in vivo. We have recently shown that Bmi1 is an intriasic key regulator of neural stem cell proliferation and renewal (Zencak et al 2005), and this role appears to be conserved also in other stem cell systems (i.e. hematopoietic stem cells). Bmi1 is a polycomb group transcriptional repressor, and we are now investigating its possible role in retinal stem cells isolated from the murine retina. Bmi1 loss does not only affect neural stem cell proliferation and renewal, but also cell fate in the brain. Therefore, we are also interested in characterizing the role of Bmi1 in retinal cell fate determination and in the development of the retina. This work may help to provide an unlimited source of cells for neurogenesis and transplantation studies.

10.08.10