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Jingliang (Simon) Zhang

@simonomisz.bsky.social
48 followers 51 following 11 posts

Postdoc @ BCH/HMS Alum @ JHU CMDB Alum @ PKU Life Sciences Neuro Regen | Neuro Dev | Stem Cell | Regenerative Medicine

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Jingliang (Simon) Zhang @simonomisz.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
Further analysis shows blocking apoptosis doesn’t extend the window of RGC neurogenesis, but delays their early neurogenesis and maturation. It also prolongs RGC lifespan and improves survival of mature RGCs. These results reveal more complex effects of apoptosis on RGC development than expected. /7
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Jingliang (Simon) Zhang @simonomisz.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
How does this affect RGCs? snRNA-seq and immunostaining show increased abundance of RGCs in BAX/BAK dKO organoids during their degeneration phase. Usually, RGCs gradually die out after 100 days of organoid culture, but in dKO organoids, we observed SNCG+ RBPMS+ RGCs at day 200! /6
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Jingliang (Simon) Zhang @simonomisz.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
To study the effects of retinal apoptosis on RGCs, we differentiated human BAX/BAK double-knockout (BAX/BAK dKO) organoids, in which apoptosis is abolished. Meanwhile, we observed increased necrosis in these organoids. /5
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Jingliang (Simon) Zhang @simonomisz.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
Interestingly, the early apoptotic wave during RGC generation causes loss of neurogenic retinal progenitors and newborn neuronal precursors, but not RGCs. These two apoptotic waves in organoids are reminiscent of programmed cell death seen in mammalian retinal development in vivo. /4
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Jingliang (Simon) Zhang @simonomisz.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
We developed a co-staining method to visualize apoptosis and necrosis in organoids carrying permanently GFP-labeled RGCs. We found two waves of apoptosis in retinal layers & one wave of necrosis specifically in the core. Late apoptosis and necrosis drive RGC loss over time. /3
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Jingliang (Simon) Zhang @simonomisz.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
Programmed cell death occurs during retinal development. In organoids, long-term RGC survival is limited, restricting their potential for therapeutic applications, but how this loss relates to cell death is unclear. We saw three phases for RGCs in organoids: generation, migration, degeneration /2
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Jingliang (Simon) Zhang @simonomisz.bsky.social · 09/12/2024
Heading out of town for the 2024 #cshlbrain meeting at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and ready to dive into the fascinating world of brain organoids!
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