The method comprises providing a culture of human pluripotent stem cells affixed to a first matrix comprising a first
laminin; exposing the stem cells to a differential medium for a first period of time from 15 days to 50 days to obtain a first
adherent cell population comprising RPE cells and / or ancestors thereof; dissociating the first
population from the first matrix at the end of the first time period; re-planking the dissociated first
cell population on a second substrate comprising a second
laminin; and culturing the re-planked first
cell population on a second substrate for a second period of time to obtain an expanded and mature second
cell population comprising RPE cells. The first and second laminins may be independently selected from the group consisting of LN-521, LN-511, LN-111, and LN-121, and are intact proteins or
protein fragments. In some embodiments, the cell
surface marker, which can be used to generate RPE cells
in vitro, is selected from the group consisting of CD140b, CD56, CD104, CD164, CD220, EGFR, GD2, CD184, CD10, CD30, CD49a, CD49b, CD50, CD171, TRA-1-60, and CD326, preferably CD140b, CD56, GD2, and / or CD184. Also included are RPE cells so produced, as well as materials and compositions that utilize such RPE cells for various treatments.