Disease Focus: Vision Loss
Generation of fibroblast cell lines in patients with common blinding eye diseases
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) are the major causes of irreversible vision loss worldwide. Although the exact causes and mechanisms of these diseases are not completely understood, it is known that genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of these diseases. Recent scientific advances have enabled […]
3D Modeling of Retina using Polymer Scaffolds for Understanding Disease Pathogenesis
Inherited retinal degenerations result in visual loss in patients as early as in their adolescence. Retinitis Pigmentosa includes a group of such degenerations which run in families and can result in legal blindness by 40 years of age. Even though we know by now a number of gene mutations which can cause these disorders, we […]
Retinal progenitor cells for treatment of retinitis pigmentosa
The targeted disease is retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a severe form of blindness that often runs in families, but other times arises spontaneously from genetic errors. This disease is not overly common, yet represents an attainable near term target for stem cell therapy for a number of reasons: 1) RP destroys the light detecting cells of […]
Regeneration of Functional Human Corneal Epithelial Progenitor Cells
Over 3.2 million people worldwide are bilateral blind from corneal diseases. Limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) has been recognized as a major cause, either primary or secondary, of significant visual loss and blindness in many common corneal disorders. A healthy, transparent ocular surface is made up of non-keratinized, stratified squamous epithelium that is highly differentiated. […]
Regeneration of Functional Human Corneal Epithelial Progenitor Cells
Over 3.2 million people worldwide are bilateral blind from corneal diseases. Limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) has been recognized as a major cause, either primary or secondary, of significant visual loss and blindness in many common corneal disorders. A healthy, transparent ocular surface is made up of non-keratinized, stratified squamous epithelium that is highly differentiated. […]
Human retinal progenitor cells as candidate therapy for retinitis pigmentosa
The targeted disease is retinitis pigmentosa (RP), is a severe form of blindness that runs in families. This disease is not overly common, yet represents an attainable near term target for stem cell therapy for a number of reasons: 1) RP destroys the light detecting cells of the retina but generally leaves the rest of […]
Development of Cellular Therapies for Retinal Disease
The long term goal of our research program is regeneration of the diseased eye. Age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and retinitis pigmentosa are leading causes of blindness for which there are no effective treatments for the majority of cases. Loss of vision is due to progressive degeneration of the photoreceptor cells, or loss of cells […]
Autologous Retinal Pigmented Epithelial Cells Derived from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for the Treatment of Atrophic Age Related Macular Degeneration
The leading cause of visual loss in Americans over the age of 65 is age related macular degeneration (AMD) which occurs in both a “wet” and a “dry” form. Both forms of the disease are associated with loss of cells called retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) which can lead to profound loss of central vision. Currently, […]
Development of a Stem Cell-based Transplantation Strategy for Treating Age-related Macular Degeneration
Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is a blinding disease of the elderly affecting nearly one in three individuals over the age of 75. Central vision is lost in AMD, severely impairing the ability to read, watch television, or drive. The epicenter of AMD is the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), a single layer of cells in […]
Therapeutic potential of Retinal Pigment Epithelial cell lines derived from hES cells for retinal degeneration.
Retinal degeneration represents a group of blinding diseases that are increasingly impacting the health and well being of Californians. It is estimated that by 2020, over 450,000 Californians will suffer from vision loss or blindness due to the age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of retinal degeneration diseases in the elderly. Furthermore, retinitis […]