Retinal regeneration by transplantation of retinal tissue derived from human embryonic or induced pluripotent stem cells

Abstract

Rodent studies have recently demonstrated substantial integration of transplanted photoreceptors, with potential synaptic connection and functional restoration. Consequently, photoreceptor transplantation therapy for retinitis pigmentosa is attracting a growing interest in the field of translational research. Differentiation strategies for the formation of three-dimensional (3D) retinal tissue that are suitable for graft preparation have also been introduced via the use of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and human induced pluripotent stem cells. We have recently shown that hESC-derived retinal tissue (hESC-retina) can survive, mature, and potentially integrate with host secondary neurons following transplantation into two established primate models of retinal degeneration. Our data demonstrated the feasibility of deploying hESC-retina transplantation as a new remedy with which to restore the vision of patients with end-stage retinal degenerative diseases. In the present mini-review, we provide a short introduction of photoreceptor transplantation research.