多能干细胞视网膜定向分化研究进展

Differentiation of Pluripotent Stem Cells into Retinal Pigment Epithelium:Progress and Application

在发达国家,年龄相关性黄斑变性等视网膜变性类病变是导致不可逆性视力丧失的主要原因,以视网膜色素上皮(RPE)细胞的功能障碍及损伤为病理生理学基础。目前,临床上尚无有效的逆转视网膜变性类病变视力丧失的手段,临床试验中的RPE细胞移植及基因治疗有望成为未来有效的治疗措施。胚胎干细胞(ESC)及诱导性多能干细胞(iPSC)的眼部定向分化为眼部单细胞病变类疾病的细胞移植治疗提供了可能性。本文总结了ESC及iPSC眼部视网膜细胞定向分化的研究进展,并对其未来发展前景进行初步探讨。

Eye is a type of sense organ enriched of nerves and histiocytes. In developed countries, retinal degeneration disorders such as age-relat- ed macular degeneration are the leading causes of irreversible vision loss. Dysfunction and damage of retinal pigment epithelium （RPE） and other related cells are the pathophysiological basis. So far, there was no efficient treatment to reverse the vision loss of this kind of diseases. The ongoing clinical trials of cell transplantation and genetic therapy are promising regimens in the future. Directed differentiation of embryonic stem cells （ESC） and induced pluripotent stem cells （iPSC） provides the possibility for the cell transplantation therapy, since these cells can be induced to almost all kinds of ceils both in vitro and vivo. We summarized the progress and prospects in the field of inducing ESCs and iPSCs to differentiate into retina cells.