• Submit to Cells Login Register
• MDPI
• Journals A-Z
• For Authors
• For Editors
• About
• Open Access Policy

• Abstract
• Full-Text PDF [218 KB]
• Full-Text XML
• Article Versions Notes

• Article Statistics
• Google Scholar
• Order Reprints

• Cite this article
• Export to BibTeX
• Export to EndNote

• [+] on DOAJ
• Becker, S
• Jayaram, H
• Limb, G
• [+] on Google Scholar
• Becker, S
• Jayaram, H
• Limb, G
• [+] on PubMed
• Becker, S
• Jayaram, H
• Limb, G

•  CiteULike
•  Facebook
•  Mendeley
•  Twitter

This article is

• freely available
• re-usable

Cells 2012, 1(4), 851-873; doi:10.3390/cells1040851

Review

Recent Advances towards the Clinical Application of Stem Cells for Retinal Regeneration

Silke Becker ^1,* , Hari Jayaram ^1,2  and G. Astrid Limb ¹

¹ Ocular Biology and Therapeutics, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK ² NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London EC1V 2PD, UK

* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received: 3 September 2012; in revised form: 29 September 2012 / Accepted: 10 October 2012 / Published: 18 October 2012

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tissue and Organ Regeneration)

Download PDF Full-Text [218 KB, uploaded 18 October 2012 09:46 CEST]

Abstract: Retinal degenerative diseases constitute a major cause of irreversible blindness in the world. Stem cell-based therapies offer hope for these patients at risk of or suffering from blindness due to the deterioration of the neural retina. Various sources of stem cells are currently being investigated, ranging from human embryonic stem cells to adult-derived induced pluripotent stem cells as well as human Müller stem cells, with the first clinical trials to investigate the safety and tolerability of human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium cells having recently commenced. This review aims to summarize the latest advances in the development of stem cell strategies for the replacement of retinal neurons and their supportive cells, the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) affected by retinal degenerative conditions. Particular emphasis will be given to the advances in stem cell transplantation and the challenges associated with their translation into clinical practice.

Keywords: stem cells; retina; retinal pigment epithelium; photoreceptors; retinal ganglion cells; retinal degenerative diseases; transplantation; translational research

Article Statistics

Cite This Article