Phenotypic and Functional Characterization of Muller Glia Isolated from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Organoids: Improvement of Retinal Ganglion Cell Function upon Transplantation

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness, and there is an ongoing need for new therapies. Recent studies indicate that cell transplantation using Muller glia may be beneficial, but there is a need for novel sources of cells to provide therapeutic benefit. In this study, we have isolated Muller glia from retinal organoids formed by human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) in vitro and have shown their ability to partially restore visual function in rats depleted of retinal ganglion cells by NMDA. Based on the present results, we suggest that Muller glia derived from retinal organoids formed by hiPSC may provide an attractive source of cells for human retinal therapies, to prevent and treat vision loss caused by retinal degenerative conditions.