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Researchers create retinal cells from human stem cells

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center have created retinal cells from human-induced pluripotent stem cells, which could eventually help patients with age-related macular degeneration, according to a university press release.

The results, published in Stem Cells, suggest that a patient's own human-induced pluripotent stem (hiPS) cells could help generate tissues and cells for transplantation. However, researchers must determine how to program the hiPS cells to function safely and effectively with the native retinal pigment epithelium, the release said.

"This is the first time that hiPS-RPE cells have been produced with the characteristics and functioning of the RPE cells in the eye. That makes these cells promising candidates for retinal regeneration therapies in age-related macular degeneration," Nady Golestaneh, PhD, lead study author, said in the release.