Baker PS, Brown GC.

Retina Service, Wills Eye Institute, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania 19107, USA. pbakerny@...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Stem-cell research is being investigated for the treatment of
retina diseases. Cell replacement strategies have the potential to improve
vision in patients who were previously considered to be untreatable. This review
summarizes progress within the field and obstacles which must be overcome to
make stem-cell therapy a viable treatment for select retinal disease. RECENT
FINDINGS: Researchers have demonstrated that stem-cell transplants can survive,
migrate, differentiate, and integrate within the retina. Stem cells from various
developmental stages have been used in these experiments, including embryonic
stem cells, neural stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, retinal stem cells, and
adult stem cells from the ciliary margin. Not only can these transplants adopt
retina-like morphologies and phenotypes, but they have also shown evidence of
synaptic reconnection and visual recovery in both animal and human studies.
Still, work must be done to achieve higher yields of functioning retinal neurons
and to promote better integration within the host retina. SUMMARY: Although many
obstacles remain, stem-cell-based therapy is a promising treatment to restore
vision in patients with retina disease.

PMID: 19425203 [PubMed - in process]