Stem Cells As Potential Regenerative Treatment For Retinal Degenerative Diseases And Diabetic Retinopathy

Retinal degeneration is a major cause of blindness and visual impairment in over 30 million people worldwide and can permanently destroy retinal ganglion cells. Retinal degenerative diseases result in irreversible loss of vision and can often lead to lowering one’s quality of life. Due to retinal ganglion cells being incapable of regenerating, there is a current need for finding therapeutic treatments. Mesenchymal stem cells have been identified in its therapeutic potential to reverse damage already done by these diseases and restore vision. Mesenchymal stem cells are also the most used cell type for regeneration in many pathologies. Currently, researchers have shown promising results when tested on animals, specifically rats. This review outlines the recent progress in restoring vision loss using mesenchymal stem cells. The aim of this study was to review the current use of bone marrow and adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells and how researchers have applied it to retinal degenerative disease and diabetic retinopathy.