HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) An erratum has been published All Versions of this Article: 2006-0308v1 25/3/602    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints/Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lund, R. D. Articles by Mistry, S. K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Lund, R. D. Articles by Mistry, S. K.

TISSUE-SPECIFIC STEM CELLS

Cells Isolated from Umbilical Cord Tissue Rescue Photoreceptors and Visual Functions in a Rodent Model of Retinal Disease

^aMoran Eye Center, University of Utah Health Science Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA;
^bCasey Eye Institute, Oregon Health & Sciences University, Portland, Oregon, USA
^cOphthalmology and Physiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada;
^dCentocor, Johnson & Johnson Internal Ventures, Radnor, Pennsylvania, USA;
^eEthicon Inc., Center for Biomaterials and Advanced Technologies, Somerville, New Jersey, USA

Key Words. Retinal disease • Cell-based therapy • Royal College of Surgeons rat • Umbilical cord • Visual function • Photoreceptor

Correspondence: Sanjay Mistry, Ph.D., Centocor, Stem Cell Internal Venture, Radnor, Pennsylvania 19087, USA. Telephone: 610-651-6146; Fax: 610-651-6440; e-mail: smistry5{at}CNTUS.JNJ.com

Received May 23, 2006; accepted for publication October 13, 2006.


Progressive photoreceptor degeneration resulting from genetic and other factors is a leading and largely untreatable cause of blindness worldwide. The object of this study was to find a cell type that is effective in slowing the progress of such degeneration in an animal model of human retinal disease, is safe, and could be generated in sufficient numbers for clinical application. We have compared efficacy of four human-derived cell types in preserving photoreceptor integrity and visual functions after injection into the subretinal space of the Royal College of Surgeons rat early in the progress of degeneration. Umbilical tissue-derived cells, placenta-derived cells, and mesenchymal stem cells were studied; dermal fibroblasts served as cell controls. At various ages up to 100 days, electroretinogram responses, spatial acuity, and luminance threshold were measured. Both umbilical-derived and mesenchymal cells significantly reduced the degree of functional deterioration in each test. The effect of placental cells was not much better than controls. Umbilical tissue-derived cells gave large areas of photoreceptor rescue; mesenchymal stem cells gave only localized rescue. Fibroblasts gave sham levels of rescue. Donor cells were confined to the subretinal space. There was no evidence of cell differentiation into neurons, of tumor formation or other untoward pathology. Since the umbilical tissue-derived cells demonstrated the best photoreceptor rescue and, unlike mesenchymal stem cells, were capable of sustained population doublings without karyotypic changes, it is proposed that they may provide utility as a cell source for the treatment of retinal degenerative diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				G. A. Limb and J. T. Daniels Ocular regeneration by stem cells: present status and future prospects Br. Med. Bull., March 1, 2008; 85(1): 47 - 61. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. L. Troyer and M. L. Weiss Concise Review: Wharton's Jelly-Derived Cells Are a Primitive Stromal Cell Population Stem Cells, March 1, 2008; 26(3): 591 - 599. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Wang, B. Lu, S. Girman, T. Holmes, N. Bischoff, and R. D. Lund Morphological and Functional Rescue in RCS Rats after RPE Cell Line Transplantation at a Later Stage of Degeneration Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., January 1, 2008; 49(1): 416 - 421. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. S. Cho, D. J. Messina, E. L. Hirsh, N. Chi, S. N. Goldman, D. P. Lo, I. R. Harris, S. H. Popma, D. H. Sachs, and C. A. Huang Immunogenicity of umbilical cord tissue derived cells Blood, January 1, 2008; 111(1): 430 - 438. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Can and S. Karahuseyinoglu Concise Review: Human Umbilical Cord Stroma with Regard to the Source of Fetus-Derived Stem Cells Stem Cells, November 1, 2007; 25(11): 2886 - 2895. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]