Cell reprogramming has brought innovative tools and methods for the research and development for the treatment of eye diseases. Creative Bioarray is committed to regenerating cells in the retina through cellular reprogramming techniques to provide our clients with a faster strategy for developing therapies for several retinal diseases caused by photoreceptors loss.
Background
Retinal diseases are diverse and complex and are mainly characterized by the loss of retinal cells, leading to varying degrees of visual impairment and even blindness. These diseases not only affect the well-being of millions of patients worldwide, but also impose a social and economic burden. Currently, there is no effective cure for the permanent loss of vision caused by retinal cell loss. Stem cell therapy offers a promising approach for replacing dying photoreceptors to treat degenerative retinal diseases.
Researchers proposed that developments in cell reprogramming technology allow iPSCs to be generated from skin or blood and programmed to become photoreceptors in the eye. These lab-created cells could be transplanted into the retina to potentially restore vision. In recent years, iPSCs have also made great progress in clinical trials. In 2017, Yamanaka's team reprogrammed the donor skin cells into iPSCs, transformed them into retinal cells and transplanted them into the patient's eyes. The operation is still under observation. These advances have opened up new avenues for the treatment of eye diseases in the future.
Fig.1 Generation and transplantation of the iPSC-RPE (retinal pigment epithelium) sheet. (Mandai, 2017)
Development of New Therapies for Eye Diseases based on Cell Reprogramming
Based on a best-in-class cell reprogramming technology platform, researchers at Creative Bioarray are dedicated to helping our clients develop therapies that help regenerate retinal cells and treat retinal diseases. To help our clients better understand and control cell fate decisions in the eye, we have developed a variety of advanced technologies including iPSC technology, direct reprogramming, single-cell transcriptomics and CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. We provide our clients with solutions to the following key problems:
- Generation of human retinal cells in the laboratory using cell reprogramming technologies.
- Obtain highly enriched homogeneous cell populations through a series of purification steps.
- Validation of regenerating retinas for the treatment of blindness caused by retinal degenerative diseases.
- Using new gene-editing technologies to develop gene therapies for inherited retinal diseases.
Advantages
- State-of-the-art facilities
- Different technical methods and flexible solutions
- Fast and traceable services
With many years of service in the field of cell reprogramming, the research team at Creative Bioarray is well prepared and capable of helping clients develop retinal regenerative therapies. Our goal is to develop efficient solutions for our clients to accelerate their scientific research. If you need our services, please contact us for more information.
Reference
- Mandai, M.; et al. Autologous induced stem-cell–derived retinal cells for macular degeneration. New England Journal of Medicine. 2017, 376(11): 1038-1046.