A look into retinal organoids: methods, analytical techniques, and applications
Open Access
- 22 August 2021
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences
- Vol. 78 (19-20), 6505-6532
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-021-03917-4
Abstract
Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) cause progressive loss of light-sensitive photoreceptors in the eye and can lead to blindness. Gene-based therapies for IRDs have shown remarkable progress in the past decade, but the vast majority of forms remain untreatable. In the era of personalised medicine, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) emerge as a valuable system for cell replacement and to model IRD because they retain the specific patient genome and can differentiate into any adult cell type. Three-dimensional (3D) iPSCs-derived retina-like tissue called retinal organoid contains all major retina-specific cell types: amacrine, bipolar, horizontal, retinal ganglion cells, Müller glia, as well as rod and cone photoreceptors. Here, we describe the main applications of retinal organoids and provide a comprehensive overview of the state-of-art analysis methods that apply to this model system. Finally, we will discuss the outlook for improvements that would bring the cellular model a step closer to become an established system in research and treatment development of IRDs.Keywords
Funding Information
- ZonMw (TOP grant number 9121 6051, TOP grant number 9121 6051)
- Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB-PPA-0717RAD, FFB-PPA-0717RAD, FFB-PPA-1719-RAD, FFB-PPA-1719-RAD)
- proefdiervrij
- UitZicht (2016/2017-22, 2016/2017-22, 2019-17)
- Fight for Sight UK
- Wellcome Trust
- University College London
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