A team of IVR researchers have demonstrated the biocompatibility of scaffolds carrying human iPSC-derived retinal progenitor cells. These results were recently published in the journal Cell Transplantation (LINK). There are two major challenges to cell-based therapies. The first is the potential for immunologic rejection of the injected materials. The ideal cells to reduce the chance of rejection, and removing the need for long-term immunosuppression is to use human induced pluripotent stem cells, derived from and transplanted into the same patient. This research addresses the second major challenge for cell-based therapies, that a simple delivery method (i.e. injection of a simple cell suspension) frequently suffers from the loss of a large number of the injected cells. A more efficacious transplantation method is the deliver the cells along with supportive biomaterials. Such materials can help the cells survive, and improve their correct integration with the host retina.
Demonstrating compatibility of cell-based therapeutics
August 1st, 2022