Figure 4. Neuroretina morphology during the culture and coculture period. In the freshly isolated retina explants (A and D), the porcine central retina showed the characteristic highly organized layered structure. At 9 days of culture alone (B, E, and F), the retinal architecture was disorganized. Photoreceptor OS were lost, and the cell bodies formed degenerative rosette-like structures (B and E, asterisks). Müller cells were hypertrophied, with nuclei translocated to the outer nuclear layer (F, open arrow) and cell cytoplasm pigmented granules (F, open arrowheads). Cellular extensions over photoreceptors were also present (B and F, arrows). At 9 days of coculture with RPE cells (C and G), the layered retinal morphology was preserved with condensed photoreceptor IS still present (G, arrowheads). Cellular prolongations were observed over the photoreceptors (C and G, arrows). OS=outer segments; IS=inner segments; OLM=outer limiting membrane; ONL=outer nuclear layer; OPL=outer plexiform layer; INL=inner nuclear layer; IPL=inner plexiform layer; GCL=ganglion cell layer. Scale bars=20 µm.