Immunofluorescence staining showed

Immunofluorescence staining showed that GFP‐labelled transplantedMC‐RSCs mostly migrated to the ONL at 14 days after subretinalinjection in Otx2 group and GFP group (Figure 5A). The percentage ofRhodopsin positive cells in Otx2 group was 41.09 ± 10.71%, significantly higher than that in GFP group (22.22 ± 7.33%), while almost noRhodopsin positive cells were observed in Model group (Figure 5B,C).At 28 days after subretinal injection, immunofluorescence stainingshowed that synaptophysin was positive in outer plexiform layer (OPL)of Otx2 group but not in OPL of Model and GFP group (Figure 5D),indicating that photoreceptor‐like cells may establish synaptic connection with adjacent cells in Otx2 group. In addition, Otx2 and Crx protein expression levels in Otx2 group were significantly higher than inModel group and GFP group (Figure 6A,B). These data indicate thatOtx2 enhances the differentiation of MC‐RSCs into photoreceptor‐likecells in MNU‐induced photoreceptor degeneration rat model.