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
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)
Article
Cell Biology
Jinying Li, Chen Qiu, Yang Wei, Weixin Yuan, Jia Liu, Wenyu Cui, Jiayi Zhou, Cong Qiu, Lihe Guo, Liquan Huang, Zhen Ge, Luyang Yu
Summary: Human amniotic epithelial stem cells can differentiate into RPE like cells with the help of trichostatin A and nicotinamide, showing potential therapeutic effects for age-related macular degeneration. Subretinal transplantation of these cells in RCS rats resulted in rescued visual function and retinal structure.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Aiwen Xu, Michael Beyeler
Summary: This study used a biophysical model to simulate the retina and investigated the impact of neuroanatomical changes on cellular responses during retinal degeneration. The findings revealed that retinal cell activity increased and electrical stimulation thresholds also increased during retinal degeneration, and testable predictions about the underlying neuroanatomical mechanisms were proposed.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tess A. V. Afanasyeva, Julio C. Corral-Serrano, Alejandro Garanto, Ronald Roepman, Michael E. Cheetham, Rob W. J. Collin
Summary: In the era of personalized medicine, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have emerged as a valuable system for cell replacement and modeling of inherited retinal diseases (IRDs). Three-dimensional iPSCs-derived retinal organoids containing various retinal cell types show promise for advancing research and treatments for IRDs.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ovidiu Samoila, Lacramioara Samoila
Summary: Stem cell transplantation plays a crucial role in eye reconstruction, with corneal reconstruction being clinically validated and standardized; however, research is limited and clinical success rates are lower in retinal stem cell reconstructions.
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)
Review
Cell Biology
Lay Khoon Too, Matthew P. Simunovic
Summary: Over the past two decades, significant progress has been made in understanding the functions of glial cells, particularly Muller glia (MG), in retinal homeostasis and regeneration. While MG show regenerative capacity varying across species, their in vivo regenerative potential in mammals, including humans, is limited. Advances in stem cell therapy have shed light on critical mechanisms underlying MG reprogramming in fish, showing promising results when applied to rodents.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jinying Li, Chen Qiu, Jiayi Zhou, Yang Wei, Weixin Yuan, Jia Liu, Wenyu Cui, Jianan Huang, Cong Qiu, Lihe Guo, Luyang Yu, Zhen Ge
Summary: The study found that human amniotic epithelial stem cells may be a potential source of functional photoreceptor cells and has great potential in the treatment of retinal degeneration diseases.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zibin Liu, Fang Zeng, Yao Zhang, Yongqing Liu, Zhuo Li, Xiao Liu
Summary: With the aging population growing, the number of patients with retinal degeneration causing vision loss is also increasing. Stem cell therapies offer hope for regeneration and repair of damaged retinal tissue, while exosomes derived from stem cells could be a novel cell-free therapeutic strategy in regenerative medicine.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Qian Liu, Jun Liu, Minmei Guo, Tzu-Cheng Sung, Ting Wang, Tao Yu, Zeyu Tian, Guoping Fan, Wencan Wu, Akon Higuchi
Summary: This study investigated the effectiveness of subretinal transplantation of various types of stem cells in treating retinal degeneration (RD). The results showed that all types of stem cells, except hiPSCs, improved visual function up to 4 weeks post-injection. However, only rats that received hiPSC-derived RPE cells maintained their visual function at 8 weeks post-injection.
JOURNAL OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Mei Yang, Guang-hua Peng
Summary: Extracellular vesicles (EVs), including microvesicles (MVs) and exosomes, are crucial in regulating metabolism and communicating within cells. Stem cell-derived EVs have the potential for regeneration and avoiding issues like immune rejection or tumor formation. Their therapeutic effect has been proven in various diseases, but the molecular mechanism in retinal repair and regeneration is not fully understood. This review describes the biological characteristics of stem cell-derived EVs, summarizes current research on their use in retinal repair and regeneration, and discusses their potential and challenges in translational medicine.
STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2023)
Review
Cell Biology
Landon J. J. Rohowetz, Peter Koulen
Summary: The eyes are immune privileged organs, making them ideal for stem cell therapy. Differentiation protocols for retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) from embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells have been developed, allowing diseases affecting RPE to be treated with stem cell therapy. Recent advancements in diagnostic technologies have enhanced disease monitoring and response to stem cell therapy. Previous clinical trials have shown promising results, and ongoing trials aim to improve our understanding of the most effective methods of RPE-based stem cell therapy for retinal diseases.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Xi Chen, Shanshan Li, Xiaoli Liu, Jingjie Zhao, Lanting Wu, Ran You, Yanling Wang
Summary: This study investigates the role of endogenous c-kit(+) cells in retinal degeneration. Stimulation of these cells by stem cell factor (SCF) provides protection against retinal degeneration. SCF administration improves visual function and prevents the loss of retinal ganglion cells. Transcriptome analysis reveals that SCF-induced changes are closely correlated with eye development-related pathways.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Lawrence J. Rizzolo, Igor O. Nasonkin, Ron A. Adelman
Summary: This article discusses the potential of retinal pigment epithelium cells in improving visual impairment, the challenges in applying this tissue-replacement therapy, and the recent progress in developing retinal therapies using biomaterials.
STEM CELLS TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2022)
