Stem cell therapy for retinal diseases

Abstract

In this review, we discuss about current knowledge about stem cell (SC) therapy in the treatment of retinal degeneration. Both human embryonic stem cell and induced pluripotent stem cell has been growth in culture for a long time, and started to be explored in the treatment of blinding conditions. The Food and Drug Administration, recently, has granted clinical trials using SC retinal therapy to treat complex disorders, as Stargardt's dystrophy, and patients with geographic atrophy, providing good outcomes. This study's intent is to overview the critical regeneration of the subretinal anatomy through retinal pigment epithelium transplantation, with the goal of reestablish important pathways from the retina to the occipital cortex of the brain, as well as the differentiation from pluripotent quiescent SC to adult retina, and its relationship with a primary retinal injury, different techniques of transplantation, management of immune rejection and tumorigenicity, its potential application in improving patients' vision, and, finally, approaching future directions and challenges for the treatment of several conditions.

Overexpression of MiR-183/96/182 Triggers Retina-Like Fate in Human Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hBMSCs) in Culture

“…Thus, few therapeutic strategies have been designed to preserve or restore vision, such as administration of growth factors, laser therapy, and antiangiogenic therapy [3]. Hence, cell replacement has been demonstrated as a potentially therapeutic approach for treating retinal degeneration diseases that possibly aid in restoration of some vision levels [4]. It should be noted that stem cells are undifferentiated cell sources defined by their abilities to self-renew and differentiate into different mature cells [5].…”

Cord blood cell-derived iPSCs as a new candidate for chondrogenic differentiation and cartilage regeneration

“…BMSCs and native chondrocytes have several advantages in regeneration capacity, because of their original chondrogenic potential. BMSCs are relatively easy to be obtained and already widely used as a cellular therapeutic material for various diseases including rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis [ 5 – 9 ]. The slow rate of proliferation severely limits the regenerative potential of the cartilage [ 10 – 12 ].…”

Improved cell metabolism prolongs photoreceptor survival upon retinal-pigmented epithelium loss in the sodium iodate induced model of geographic atrophy

“…This stage, which is commonly referred to as geographic atrophy (GA), directly affects PRs as the RPE transfers nutrients from the choriocapillaries to PRs [ 8 , 9 ]. Currently there is no therapy to treat this advanced stage of AMD that is characterized by RPE atrophy [ 9 , 10 ], although a number of embryonic stem cell based RPE therapies are being evaluated to replace sick or lost RPE cells [ 11 - 14 ].…”