title: Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapies for Degenerative Disease of the Outer Retina: Disease Modeling and Cell Replacement.
abstract: Stem cell therapies are being explored as potential treatments for retinal disease. How to replace neurons in a degenerated retina presents a continued challenge for the regenerative medicine field that, if achieved, could restore sight. The major issues are: (i) the source and availability of donor cells for transplantation; (ii) the differentiation of stem cells into the required retinal cells; and (iii) the delivery, integration, functionality, and survival of new cells in the host neural network. This review considers the use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), currently under intense investigation, as a platform for cell transplantation therapy. Moreover, patient-specific iPSC are being developed for autologous cell transplantation and as a tool for modeling specific retinal diseases, testing gene therapies, and drug screening.
authors.affiliation: 1 UCL Institute of Child Health, University College London , London, United Kingdom .
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Foggia
authors.affiliation: 1 UCL Institute of Child Health, University College London , London, United Kingdom .
authors.forename: Priyanka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Makwana
authors.affiliation: 2 UCL Institute of Ophthalmology , London, United Kingdom .
authors.forename: Robin R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: 1 UCL Institute of Child Health, University College London , London, United Kingdom .
authors.forename: Jane C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Sowden
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy; D006801:Humans; D057026:Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells; D008954:Models, Biological; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation