Recent Advances in Retinal Stem Cell Therapy

Overview

Journal Curr Mol Biol Rep

Specialty Biochemistry

Date 2017 Nov 21

PMID 29152454

Citations 15

Authors

Sujoy Bhattacharya

Rajashekhar Gangaraju

Edward Chaum

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

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 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 .

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.

Citing Articles

Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells from perinatal sources: biological facts, molecular biomarkers, and therapeutic promises.

Allouh M, Rizvi S, Alamri A, Jimoh Y, Aouda S, Ouda Z Stem Cell Res Ther. 2025; 16(1):127.

PMID: 40055783 PMC: 11889844. DOI: 10.1186/s13287-025-04254-0.

Modeling of mitochondrial bioenergetics and autophagy impairment in MELAS-mutant iPSC-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells.

Bhattacharya S, Yin J, Huo W, Chaum E Stem Cell Res Ther. 2022; 13(1):260.

PMID: 35715869 PMC: 9205099. DOI: 10.1186/s13287-022-02937-6.

Retinal Neuroprotective Effect of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Secretome Through Modulation of Oxidative Stress, Autophagy, and Programmed Cell Death.

Usategui-Martin R, Puertas-Neyra K, Galindo-Cabello N, Hernandez-Rodriguez L, Gonzalez-Perez F, Rodriguez-Cabello J Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2022; 63(4):27.

PMID: 35486068 PMC: 9055551. DOI: 10.1167/iovs.63.4.27.

Current Development, Obstacle and Futural Direction of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell and Mesenchymal Stem Cell Treatment in Degenerative Retinal Disease.

Chiang M, Chern E Int J Mol Sci. 2022; 23(5).

PMID: 35269671 PMC: 8910526. DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052529.

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Induced Foxp3(+) Tregs Suppress Effector T Cells and Protect against Retinal Ischemic Injury.

Agrawal M, Rasiah P, Bajwa A, Rajasingh J, Gangaraju R Cells. 2021; 10(11).

PMID: 34831229 PMC: 8616393. DOI: 10.3390/cells10113006.

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