Human induced pluripotent stem cell differentiation and direct transdifferentiation into corneal epithelial-like cells.

ABSTRACT: The corneal epithelium is maintained by a small pool of tissue stem cells located at the limbus. Through certain injuries or diseases this pool of stem cells may get depleted. This leads to visual impairment. Standard treatment options include autologous or allogeneic limbal stem cell (LSC) transplantation, however graft rejection and chronic inflammation lowers the success rate over long time. Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells have opened new possibilities for treating various diseases with patient specific cells, eliminating the risk of immune rejection. In recent years, several protocols have been developed, aimed at the differentiation of iPS cells into the corneal epithelial lineage by mimicking the environmental niche of limbal stem cells. However, the risk of teratoma formation a

SUBMITTER: Cieslar-Pobuda A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5173137 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature