subretinal-transplantation-human-embryonic-stem-cell-derived-retinal

Subretinal Transplantation of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Derived-retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells into a Large-eyed Model of Geographic Atrophy

Geographic atrophy (GA), the late stage of dry age-related macular degeneration is characterized by loss of the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) layer, ...

Karolinska Institutet

Human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells could replace lost tissue in geographic atrophy (GA) but efficacy has yet to be demonstrated in a large-eyed model. Also, production of hESC-RPE has not yet been achieved in a xeno-free and defined manner, which is critical for clinical compliance and reduced immunogenicity. Here we describe an effective differentiation methodology using human laminin-521 matrix with xeno-free and defined medium. Differentiated cells exhibited characteristics of native RPE including morphology, pigmentation, marker expression, monolayer integrity, and polarization together with phagocytic activity. Furthermore, we established a large-eyed GA model that allowed in vivo imaging of hESC-RPE and host retina. Cells transplanted in suspension showed long-term integration and formed polarized monolayers exhibiting phagocytic and photoreceptor rescue capacity. We have developed a xeno-free and defined hESC-RPE differentiation method and present evidence of functional integration of clinically compliant hESC-RPE in a large-eyed disease model.

Xeno-Free and Defined Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells Functionally Integrate in a Large-Eyed Preclinical Model.

Subretinal suspension transplants of human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells (hESC-RPE) have the capacity to form functional monolayers in naive eyes. We explore hESC-RPE integration when transplanted in suspension to a large-eyed model of geographic atrophy (GA).

Integration of Subretinal Suspension Transplants of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells in a Large-Eyed Model of Geographic Atrophy.

Article	Year
Xeno-Free and Defined Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells Functionally Integrate in a Large-Eyed Preclinical Model. Stem cell reports\| PubMed ID: 26724907	2016
Integration of Subretinal Suspension Transplants of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells in a Large-Eyed Model of Geographic Atrophy. Investigative ophthalmology & visual science\| PubMed ID: 28241319	2017

Sandra Petrus-Reurer

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