Stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine in RPE degenerative disease: advances and challenges

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Retinal degenerative disorders affect patients of all age groups and cause devastating, irreversible vision loss. To date there is no effective treatment capable of restoring retinal function. Pluripotent stem cells, like embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells, have the capacity to differentiate into any cell derived from the three germinal layers, including retinal tissue. Considering that, research in transplanted retinal cells derived from pluripotent stem cells has shown progressive results.

Areas covered: The article discusses recent relevant clinical trials in retinal pigment epithelium-derived embryonic stem cells and -induced pluripotent stem cells, as well as challenges stem cell research faces from bench to bed side.

Expert commentary: Therapies involving stem cells and regenerative medicine have the potential to restore sight and revolutionize the treatment of retinal disease. Clinical trials show promising results. Research surrounding obstacles and challenges is underway.

KEYWORDS:

• embryonic stem cells
• induced pluripotent stem cells
• retinal degeneration
• retinal pigment epithelium
• stem cell

Declaration of interest

The Jonas Children’s Vision Care and Bernard & Shirlee Brown Glaucoma Laboratory are supported by the National Institutes of Health [P30EY019007, R24EY027285, R01EY018213, R01EY024698, R01EY026682, R21AG050437], National Cancer Institute Core [5P30CA013696], the Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) Physician-Scientist Award, unrestricted funds from RPB, New York, NY, USA. R.J. is supported by the RPB medical student eye research fellowship. S.H. Tang. is a member of the RD-CURE Consortium and is supported by the Tistou and Charlotte Kerstan Foundation, the Schneeweiss Stem Cell Fund, New York State [C029572], and the Gebroe Family Foundation. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Reviewer Disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.