Abstract:
- Stem cell therapies are being researched extensively for treating degenerative eye diseases.
- These therapies aim to replace lost neurons, restore neural circuits, or provide paracrine-mediated therapies where stem cell-derived trophic factors protect compromised endogenous retinal neurons and stimulate the growth of new connections.
- Retinal progenitor phenotypes from embryonic stem cells/induced pluripotent stem cells (ESCs/iPSCs) and endogenous retinal stem cells might replace lost photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, restoring vision.
- Treatment of injured retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) has primarily relied on mesenchymal stem cells (MSC).
- The report reviews the properties of various adult stem cells, including neural stem cells (NSCs), MSC derived from bone marrow (BMSC), adipose tissues (ADSC), and dental pulp (DPSC), as well as ESC/iPSC.
- The potential of these cells to provide trophic support, repair, and replacement of retinal neurons, RPE, and glia in degenerative retinal diseases is discussed.
Key Findings:
- ESCs/iPSCs have the potential to replace lost retinal cells.
- MSC may offer paracrine factors that protect RGC and stimulate regeneration of their axons in degenerative eye diseases.
- NSCs might serve both as a source of replacement cells and as mediators of paracrine treatment.
- MSC predominantly provides trophic support for the neuroprotection and axon regeneration of damaged retinal cells.
- There's no substantial evidence that ESCs/iPSCs provide significant paracrine support, but they seem capable of replacing degenerating photoreceptors and RPE cells.
- NSCs directly differentiate into neural and glial phenotypes after transplantation into spinal cord injury (SCI) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) sites. They also secrete trophic factors and might have potential for both the neuroprotection and replacement of retinal neurons, including RGC.