9. Lastly, we returned to the processes associated with retinoblastoma. and found that cones had increased SYK expression and that inhibition of SYK decreased cone proliferative response to RB1 loss in vitro indicating it plays a role in retinoblastoma initiation.

8. We further identified new features of early maturing rods and cones, including shared CHRNA1 expression and sequential expression of four lncRNAs in L/M cones.

7. The early cone and rod populations contained cells closely related in umap space resembling a possible post-mitotic hybrid state. However, in situ analyses showed early cone precursors with rod gene expression but not vice versa, suggesting this group was likely developing cones not a hybrid.

6. Examining the transition from progenitors to PR clusters under higher resolution identified two small postmitotic populations trajecting toward rods and cones that expressed genes and regulons associated with rods or cones, suggesting fate specification happening directly from the RPCs.

5. Interestingly, our rod and cone precursors co-expressed canonical markers of the other cell type (NRL and THRB). Isoform analyses showed differences between cell types: L/M cones showed use of a truncated NRL mRNA while late rods showed more THRB premature termination events.

4. Our dataset captured clusters of retinal progenitors, early and late rods, and L/M and S cones with some novel cell type-specific genes and ontologies. We further defined these clusters by examining their expression of individual transcription factors and coregulated target genes (regulons).

We may not be DC, but with just over a weeks time, and what I can only imagine was an absolutely absurd and exhausting effort, the @standupforscience.bsky.social team in Denver put together a full rally for us! FANTASTIC crowd turn out and an amazing group of speakers. Thank you so much!