title: Mobilizing endogenous stem cells for retinal repair.
abstract: Irreversible vision loss is most often caused by the loss of function and subsequent death of retinal neurons, such as photoreceptor cells-the cells that initiate vision by capturing and transducing signals of light. One reason why retinal degenerative diseases are devastating is that, once retinal neurons are lost, they don't grow back. Stem cell-based cell replacement strategy for retinal degenerative diseases are leading the way in clinical trials of transplantation therapy, and the exciting findings in both human and animal models point to the possibility of restoring vision through a cell replacement regenerative approach. A less invasive method of retinal regeneration by mobilizing endogenous stem cells is, thus, highly desirable and promising for restoring vision. Although many obstacles remain to be overcome, the field of endogenous retinal repair is progressing at a rapid pace, with encouraging results in recent years.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Liuhuaqiao Hospital, Guangzhou, PR China; Department of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.
authors: Honghua
authors: H
authors: Yu
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass; Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.
authors: Thi Hong Khanh
authors: TH
authors: Vu
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.
authors: Kin-Sang
authors: KS
authors: Cho
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.
authors: Chenying
authors: C
authors: Guo
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass; VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Mass. Electronic address: Dongfeng_Chen@meei.harvard.edu.
authors: Dong Feng
authors: DF
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D044968:Regenerative Medicine; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*