Transplantation in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration: past, present and future directions

Abstract

This review aims to cover the transplant procedures that have been developed and investigated as potential treatments for age-related macular degeneration. The choice of transplant materials that will be discussed ranges from isolated cells (including stem cells, iris pigment epithelial cells and retinal pigment epithelial cells) to monolayers of cells on artificial or nonartificial substrates and also to whole patches of tissue (e.g., fetal retina, full-thickness patch grafts and macular relocation). Finally, we will address the current and future technologies and questions that need to be addressed in order that transplant procedures can have an effective role in the treatment of patients with age-related macular degeneration.

Keywords::

• age-related macular degeneration
• artificial substrate
• iris pigment epithelial cell
• patch graft
• retinal pigment epithelial cell
• stem cell
• transplant

Acknowledgements

Dunhill Medical Trust, Help the Aged, Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness.