Review
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Samaneh Dehghan, Reza Mirshahi, Alireza Shoae-Hassani, Masood Naseripour
Summary: This study discusses age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and the current treatment options for wet and dry AMD. Stem cell therapy has shown great potential in the treatment of AMD. Human pluripotent stem cells, especially induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), can be used to generate retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells, restoring the structure and function of the retina.
STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Haibin Tian, Zhiyang Chen, Xiaoman Zhu, Qingjian Ou, Zhe Wang, Binxin Wu, Jing-Ying Xu, Caixia Jin, Furong Gao, Juan Wang, Jingfa Zhang, Jieping Zhang, Lixia Lu, Guo-Tong Xu
Summary: This study demonstrates that transforming RPE cells with anti-EMT properties can avoid the risk of EMT after transplantation and may provide a suitable candidate for AMD treatment.
Review
Cell Biology
Yuan Liu, Richard K. Lee
Summary: Degenerative diseases like glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy cause loss of retinal cells and serious vision loss. Stem cell transplantation shows promise but faces significant hurdles, particularly in replacing injured retinal ganglion cells, due to the Switchboard Dilemma which is analogous to the complexity of a telephone network's switchboard system in the retina.
NEURAL REGENERATION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Jared A. Tangeman, Agustin Luz-Madrigal, Sutharzan Sreeskandarajan, Erika Grajales-Esquivel, Lin Liu, Chun Liang, Panagiotis A. Tsonis, Katia Del Rio-Tsonis
Summary: This study explored the mechanisms of embryonic RPE reprogramming through RNA-seq analysis, revealing that FGF2 and the MAPK cascade are crucial drivers. Key processes involved cell cycle progression, injury response, migration, and ECM regulation, highlighting the important roles of ECM and EMT dynamics in the reprogramming process.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anna Duarri, Eduardo Rodriguez-Bocanegra, Gema Martinez-Navarrete, Marc Biarnes, Miriam Garcia, Lucia Lee Ferraro, Bernd Kuebler, Begona Aran, Elisabeth Izquierdo, Eli Aguilera-Xiol, Ricardo P. Casaroli-Marano, Esteve Trias, Eduardo Fernandez, Angel Raya, Anna Veiga, Jordi Mones
Summary: The study demonstrated the feasibility and safety of subretinal transplantation of hiPSC-RPE cells into healthy margins and degenerative areas in a swine model. The engrafted cells formed mature epithelium in healthy retina and interacted with host photoreceptors, but showed irregular distribution and failure to form epithelial-like layer in degenerative areas.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Ila Tewari Jasra, Nerea Cuesta-Gomez, Kevin Verhoeff, Braulio A. Marfil-Garza, Nidheesh Dadheech, A. M. James Shapiro
Summary: This review summarizes the roles and mechanisms of mitochondria in somatic cell reprogramming to iPSCs and the metabolic shift associated with directed differentiation into pancreatic beta-like cells.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Helena Isla-Magrane, Anna Veiga, Jose Garcia-Arumi, Anna Duarri
Summary: A two-step method was established to obtain self-organized multizone ocular progenitor cells (mzOPCs) from 2D hiPSC cultures within three weeks, which were then grown in suspension to create 3D multiocular organoids. These organoids exhibited correct layering of retinal regions, resembled transparent ocular-surface epithelium in the corneal regions, and contained interactions between different cell types and regions of the eye system. This approach demonstrated the advantages of the combined 2D-3D construction tissue model in creating a more ocular native-like cellular environment for modeling eye development and disease.
STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yi-Ping Yang, Yu-Jer Hsiao, Kao-Jung Chang, Shania Foustine, Yu-Ling Ko, Yi-Ching Tsai, Hsiao-Yun Tai, Yu-Chieh Ko, Shih-Hwa Chiou, Tai-Chi Lin, Shih-Jen Chen, Yueh Chien, De-Kuang Hwang
Summary: Human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) have the potential to replace diseased or injured tissues and are widely used in regenerative medicine. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can differentiate into various cell types and are being explored for the treatment of retinal diseases. Further clinical trials are needed to assess the efficacy and adverse effects of iPSC-based therapies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Nicholas E. Stone, Andrew P. Voigt, Robert F. Mullins, Todd Sulchek, Budd A. Tucker
Summary: Autologous photoreceptor cell replacement is a promising approach for treating inherited retinal degenerative blindness, but enrichment of photoreceptor cells and correction of disease-causing genetic mutations are crucial. While advanced retinal differentiation protocols can generate various cell types, most of them are unnecessary and may hinder successful transplantation.
STEM CELLS TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Oncology
Genevieve M. M. Abd, Madison C. C. Laird, Jennifer C. C. Ku, Yong Li
Summary: Cancer stem cells are a subset of cells within tumors that can self-renew and differentiate into different cancer cell types. It is believed that they may originate from normal stem cells that have undergone genetic mutations or epigenetic changes. Recent research has also shown that cancer cells can dedifferentiate into stem-like cells. Understanding the mechanisms behind these cells' formation is crucial for the development of new strategies in cancer treatment and therapies.
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ophthalmology
Christian Burri, Sami Al-Nawaiseh, Philip Wakili, Simon Salzmann, Christina Kroetz, Boris Povazay, Christoph Meier, Martin Frenz, Peter Szurman, Andre Schulz, Boris Stanzel
Summary: The study investigates the potential of large-area RPE removal through selective microsecond laser irradiation targeting RPE cells for eye disease treatment. The results indicate that this method can be performed without damaging photoreceptors, paving the way for future therapeutic applications.
TRANSLATIONAL VISION SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Santosh Gupta, Lyubomyr Lytvynchuk, Taras Ardan, Hana Studenovska, Georgina Faura, Lars Eide, Ljubo Znaor, Slaven Erceg, Knut Stieger, Jan Motlik, Kapil Bharti, Goran Petrovski
Summary: The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) plays a crucial role in maintaining the normal physiology of the eye, and damage to the RPE can lead to degenerative eye diseases. Currently, stem cell-derived RPE transplantation is being explored for treating early stages of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This article focuses on developmental studies and stem cell-based research to understand the biology and derive functional RPEs.
Article
Immunology
Randy Zauhar, Josef Biber, Yassin Jabri, Mijin Kim, Jian Hu, Lew Kaplan, Anna M. Pfaller, Nicole Schaefer, Volker Enzmann, Ursula Schloetzer-Schrehardt, Tobias Straub, Stefanie M. Hauck, Paul D. Gamlin, Michael B. McFerrin, Jeffrey Messinger, Christianne E. Strang, Christine A. Curcio, Nicholas Dana, Diana Pauly, Antje Grosche, Mingyao Li, Dwight Stambolian
Summary: This study investigates the complement pathway in ocular degeneration, particularly age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The findings reveal that the cellular response to AMD is more robust in the choroid during early stages and more prominent in the retina during late stages. Additionally, the cooperation of different cell types plays a significant role in complement expression.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Maria Questa, Maryam Moshref, Robert J. Jimenez, Veronica Lopez-Cervantes, Charles K. Crawford, Matthew L. Settles, Pablo J. Ross, Amir Kol
Summary: By conducting ATAC-seq analysis on canine stromal and pluripotent stem cells, we discovered that the barriers preventing reprogramming of adult stromal cells to iPSC may be attributed to differences in chromatin accessibility landscape, providing a theoretical basis for targeted improvement of canine somatic cell reprogramming in the future.
STEM CELLS TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Ophthalmology
Marina Yasvoina, Qian Yang, Sasha M. Woods, Tjebo Heeren, Grant M. Comer, Catherine A. Egan, Marcus Fruttiger
Summary: This study found that RPE cells invading the retina in retinal degenerative diseases undergo dedifferentiation and can be pigmented or unpigmented. As a result, the number of these cells may be underestimated through funduscopy.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
(2022)