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Volker Enzmann, PhD; Esma Yolcu, PhD; Henry J. Kaplan, MD; Suzanne T. Ildstad, MD

Arch Ophthalmol. 2009;127(4):563-571.

Objective  To describe the use of stem cells (SCs) for regeneration of retinal degenerations. Regenerative medicine intends to provide therapies for severe injuries or chronic diseases where endogenous repair does not sufficiently restore the tissue. Pluripotent SCs, with their capacity to give rise to specialized cells, are the most promising candidates for clinical application. Despite encouraging results, a combination with up-to-date tissue engineering might be critical for ultimate success.

Design  The focus is on the use of SCs for regeneration of retinal degenerations. Cell populations include embryonic, neural, and bone marrow–derived SCs, and engineered grafts will also be described.

Results  Experimental approaches have successfully replaced damaged photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium using endogenous and exogenous SCs.

Conclusions  Stem cells have the potential to significantly impact retinal regeneration. A combination with bioengineering may bear even greater promise. However, ethical and scientific issues have yet to be solved.

Author Affiliations: Department of Ophthalmology, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland (Dr Enzmann); and Institute for Cellular Therapeutics (Drs Yolcu and Ildstad) and Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (Dr Kaplan), University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky.

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