Biology and therapeutic potential of adult retinal stem cells

Retinal degeneration encompasses a constellation of common pathologies for which there is no regenerative treatment. Vision loss has a devastating impact on quality of life and activities of daily living. Pharmacologic treatments serve to stave off disease progression but do not represent a restorative approach. Cellular transplantation is considered to be a promising approach for future therapy for retinal degeneration. There are, however, significant barriers that must be overcome if cell transplantation is to become a clinical reality. In this review, we focus on the need for a cellular replacement therapy for retinal disease and the promise of stem cells as candidate cellular therapeutics. In particular, we discuss the origins of stem cells in the retina, the discovery and characterization of retinal stem cells isolated from adult humans, and their transplantation potential and clinical implications.