Concise Review: Deciphering retinal diseases through the generation of three dimensional stem cell ‐derived organoids

AbstractThree ‐dimensional (3D) retinal organoids, in vitro tissue structures derived from self‐organizing cultures of differentiating human embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells, could recapitulate some aspects of the cytoarchitectural structure and function of the retina in vivo. 3D retinal organoids display huge potential for the investigation of the pathogenesis of monogenic hereditary eye diseases that are related to the malfunction or degeneration of photoreceptors or retinal ganglion cells by providing an effective in vitro tool with multiple applications. In combination with rec ent genome editing tools, 3D retinal organoids could also represent a reliable and renewable source of transplantable cells for personalized therapies. In this review, we describe the recent advances in human pluripotent stem cells‐derived retinal organoids, determination of their histoarchitectur e, complexity and maturity, and discuss their application as a means to decipher the pathogenesis of retinal diseases as well main drawbacks and challenges.Stem Cells2019
Source: Stem Cells - Category: Stem Cells Authors: Tags: Embryonic Stem Cells/Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Source Type: research