Stem cells to repair retina : from basic to applied biology
Résumé
Loss of photoreceptors, the sensory cells of the retina, occurs in several genetic and sporadic retinal diseases, resulting in visual disturbance or blindness. Stem-cell based therapies could represent effective approaches to cure these neurodegenerative pathologies. A pivotal issue in this context is to unravel the gene regulatory network that drives multipotent progenitors towards retinal cell types in vivo in order to devise in vitro procedures for stem cell directed differentiation. We will therefore briefly present the current knowledge on mechanisms underlying cell specification during retinogenesis. We will then discuss the rapidly evolving field aiming at generating photoreceptors from stem cells of various origins, and the attempts to restore sight in animal models for retinal diseases. Success, failures and future prospects are reviewed.