Connective Tissue Growth Factor Promotes Efficient Generation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Choroidal Endothelium.

ABSTRACT: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of irreversible blindness in the Western world. Although, the majority of stem cell research to date has focused on production of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) and photoreceptor cells for the purpose of evaluating disease pathophysiology and cell replacement, there is strong evidence that the choroidal endothelial cells (CECs) that form the choriocapillaris vessels are the first to be lost in this disease. As such, to accurately evaluate disease pathophysiology and develop an effective treatment, production of patient-specific, stem cell-derived CECs will be required. In this study, we report for the first time a stepwise differentiation protocol suitable for generating human iPSC-derived CEC-like cells. RNA-seq analysis of the m

SUBMITTER: Songstad AE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5689757 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature