Misidentification of retinal stem cells

Article

Ciliary epithelial cells inside the eye, previously proposed as retinal cell stems, have now been established as being normal adult cells. The misidentification was uncovered by Michael Dyer, PhD and researchers at the St Jude Department of Developmental Neurobiology.

Ciliary epithelial cells inside the eye, previously proposed as retinal cell stems, have now been established as being normal adult cells. The misidentification was uncovered by Michael Dyer, PhD and researchers at the St Jude Department of Developmental Neurobiology, USA.

The proposed retinal cells, identified in 2000, were pigmented and Dyer's group became suspicious when they established this as neural stem cells are, in general, and retinal progenitor cells specifically are not pigmented. Dyer explained: "The previous finding was met with a tremendous amount of enthusiasm because of the promise of introducing these cells into the eye to regenerate photoreceptors lost to blindness."

The neuroscientists are now placing emphasis on research which aims at re-engineering stem cells to develop into light-sensitive photorecptor cells, which are lost as a consequence of retinal degeneration.

"This approach would solve many problems of developing cell-based therapy for blindness," Dyer said. "First, these cells are immortal, so they can be grown indefinitely to produce large amounts of cells for treatment. And secondly, they would be immunologically matched to the patient, so there would be no danger of rejection. And thanks to some excellent research during the past 15 years, we know a lot about how to reprogramme such stem cells to make them into photoreceptors."

Recent Videos
Dr Rick Lewis discusses the FLigHT procedure and ViaLase laser at the 2024 European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) meeting
Christiana Dinah speaks about her ASRS presentation, Real-World Treatment Outcomes With Anti-VEGF Therapy in Patients With Retinal Vein Occlusion in the UK
Chase Ludwig, MD, shared an overview of his presentation, which covered real-impact of vitrectomy surgery on the progression of AMD at the annual ASRS meeting in Stockholm, Sweden
Patrick C. Staropoli, MD, discusses clinical characterisation of Hexokinase 1 (HK1) mutations causing autosomal dominant pericentral retinitis pigmentosa
Richard B. Rosen, MD, discusses his ASRS presentation on illuminating subclinical sickle cell activities using dynamic OCT angiography
ASRS 2024: Socioeconomic barriers and visual outcomes in patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachments, from Sally S. Ong, MD
Ashkan Abbey, MD, speaks about his presentation on the the CALM registry study, the 36-month outcomes of real world patients receiving fluocinolone acetonide 0.18 mg at the annual ASRS meeting in Stockholm, Sweden.
Nikoloz Labauri, MD, FVRS, speaks at the 2024 ASRS meeting about suspensory macular buckling as a novel technique for addressing myopic traction maculopathy
Jordana Fein, MD, MS, speaks with Modern Retina about the IOP outcomes with aflibercept 8 mg and 2 mg in patients with DME through week 48 of the phase 2/3 PHOTON trial at the annual ASRS meeting in Stockholm, Sweden.
© 2024 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.