Recent Advances in Retinal Stem Cell Therapy

Abstract

Purpose of review: Progress in stem cell research for blinding diseases over the past decade is now being applied to patients with retinal degenerative diseases and soon perhaps, glaucoma. However, the field still has much to learn about the conversion of stem cells into various retinal cell types, and the potential delivery methods that will be required to optimize the clinical efficacy of stem cells delivered into the eye.

Recent findings: Recent groundbreaking human clinical trials have demonstrated both the opportunities and current limitations of stem cell transplantation for retinal diseases. New progress in developing in vitro retinal organoids, coupled with the maturation of bio-printing technology, and non-invasive high-resolution imaging have created new possibilities for repairing and regenerating the diseased retina and rigorously validating its clinical impact in vivo.

Summary: While promising progress is being made, meticulous clinical trials with cells derived using good manufacturing practice, novel surgical methods, and improved methods to derive all of the neuronal cell types present in the retina will be indispensable for developing stem cell transplantation as a paradigm shift for the treatment of blinding diseases.

Keywords: Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD); Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs); Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs); Photoreceptors; Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs); Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE).

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interests: SB: None; EC: None; RG is a scientific consultant and has financial interest in Cell Care Therapeutics, Inc. Conflict of Interest Sujoy Bhattacharya and Edward Chaum each declare no potential conflicts of interest. Rajashekhar Gangaraju reports grants from National Eye Institute, grants from Department of Defense, during the conduct of the study; other from Cell Care Therapeutics, Inc, outside the submitted work; In addition, Dr. Gangaraju has a patent U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. US20150377908A1. pending, and a patent U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/294,489 pending.

Figures

Fig. 1

Schematic of the current sources of various types of stem cells under investigation and the retinal cells derived from them.