Comparative study between amniotic-fluid mesenchymal stem cells and retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) stem cells ability to differentiate towards RPE cells.
Dysfunction of the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) is one of the first effects of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with consequent blindness. Hence, patients affected by this retinal disorder could benefit from a cell-based transplantation strategy for RPE. Actually, an effective protocol to approach this problem is lacking, though recently, it has been postulated the existence of a subpopulation of RPE stem cells (RPESCs) derived from adult RPE and able to reconstitute a functional RPE. On the other hand, the evidence related to the differentiative potential of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is continuously increasing. Among others, amniotic fluid-derived MSCs (AF-MSCs) may be a promising candidate, since these cells are characterized by high proliferation and differentiative potential. In this study, AF-MSCs and RPESCs were isolated, characterized to assay their stemness and induced to neuronal/retinal differentiation; specific RPE markers were then analyzed. Our results indicate that RPESCs are more suitable candidates for RPE replacement than AF-MSCs.
Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Ophthalmology Clinic, Ancona, Italy.
Cesare
C
Mariotti
Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences-Histology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Tronto 10/A, 60020, Ancona, Italy.
Raffaella
R
Lazzarini
Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Ophthalmology Clinic, Ancona, Italy.
Michele
M
Nicolai
Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Ophthalmology Clinic, Ancona, Italy.
Andrea
A
Saitta
Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Ophthalmology Clinic, Ancona, Italy.
Emanuele
E
Orsini
Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences-Histology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Tronto 10/A, 60020, Ancona, Italy. m.orciani@univpm.it.
Monia
M
Orciani
Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences-Histology, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Tronto 10/A, 60020, Ancona, Italy.
Roberto
R
Di Primio
D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
Age- related macular degeneration (AMD); Amniotic fluid; Mesenchymal stem cells; Retinal pigmented ephitelium (RPE)