Development of a Stem Cell Therapy for Glaucoma

Glaucoma is the most common form of optic neuropathy and a major cause of blindness worldwide. Currently, there is no cure for glaucoma. Damage to retinal ganglion cells and optic nerve caused by the diseases is permanent. Stem cells, which can divide indefinitely and differentiate into various cell types, offer a great premise for cell-replacement therapy. Recent breakthroughs in stem cell research that enable generation of pluripotent stem cells from adult somatic cells by reprogramming technology have opened new therapeutic possibilities. However, besides the common factors in inducing directed and homogenous cell differentiation and integration into the host tissue and establishing functionality, stem cell therapy for glaucoma is especially challenged by difficulties in driving optic nerve regeneration or repair. On the contrary, stem cell transplantation may still gain functional benefits by secreting neurotrophic factors and promoting neural plasticity. This review will discuss these advances and challenges in stem cell therapy.