Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSC) in Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

Abstract

Abstract Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of legal blindness in many OECD nations, yet still has limited treatment options. Recent advances in hPSC technologies promise to significantly improve the prognosis of those with AMD through the use of iPSC-derived cell replacement therapies. Moreover, the use of iPSC-derived tissues in\xa0vitro makes it possible to produce mature patient–derived tissues phenotypically similar to those found in\xa0vivo without the scarcity or batch variability of embryonic stem cell (ESC)-derived tissue or primary sources. In this chapter, we highlight the recent advances in the clinical applications of iPSCs in the treatment of AMD and discuss the challenges this technology must mediate in order to enter routine practice alongside novel techniques, which can be deployed to accelerate this process.