Figure 1. hNPCs aid in visual function preservation and photoreceptor survival in RCS rats. A: Optokinetic response (OKR) measurements showed that subretinal injection of human forebrain derived neural progenitor cells (hNPCs) into Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rats (RCS^hNPCs) at P21 had a higher relative visual acuity (0.4503 ± 0.0064 c/d) compared to the RCS^sham rats (0.3245 ± 0.0047 c/d), though lower than LE^sham (0.6350 ± 0.0020 c/d); ***p<0.001. B: Histological analysis of the retinal sections of the LE^sham rats had approximately ten layers of photoreceptor cells in the outer nuclear layer (ONL). C: In contrast, the RCS^sham rats had three photoreceptor cell layers. D: Transplanted hNPCs (arrows) survived in the subretinal space of the RCS rats and preserve approximately five to six photoreceptor cell layers. RGC = retinal ganglion cell layer, INL = inner nuclear layer, ONL =outer nuclear layer. Scale bar = 25 μm.