This book discusses why specific diseases are being targeted for cell-based retinal therapy, what evidence exists that justifies optimism for this approach, and what challenges must be managed in order to bring this technology from the laboratory into routine clinical practice. There are a number of unanswered questions (e.g., surgical approach to cell delivery, management of immune response, optimum cell type to transplant) that very likely are not going to be answered until human trials are undertaken, but there is a certain amount of “de-risking” that can be done with preclinical experimentation. This book is essential reading for scientists, clinicians, and advanced students in stem cell research, cell biology, and ophthalmology.

In this volume, some of the leading authorities present their exploration of applications of stem cell therapy to the treatment of major causes of blindness, including degenerative diseases and glaucoma. The diagnostic approach to patients, general concepts of cell-based therapy, immunological considerations, approaches to cell delivery (including engineered scaffolds), combined cell and gene therapy, nanomedicine applications to cell therapy and regulatory issues pertaining to manufacture and production are all considered in detail. The book serves as an excellent introduction to a field that is now entering early-stage clinical trials and promises to operate at the leading edge of regenerative medicine. Retina specialists, general ophthalmologists as well as researchers will find here a wealth of information on the translational aspects of cell-based therapies. Further, business executives and students interested in understanding the potential applications of stem cell therapy to retinal degenerative disease and glaucoma will also find this book informative reading.

This book familiarizes the reader with the current landscape of cell-based therapies for the treatment of retinal disease, including diseases that affect the choriocapillaris, retinal pigment epithelium, photoreceptors, and retinal ganglion cells. Instead of utilizing a disease-centric approach to the topic, this book—edited by two world-renowned stem cell scientists—focuses on strategies for developing and transplanting the cells. This includes the creation of replacement cells, cell-based neuroprotection, and in vitro disease modeling and testing. The final chapters briefly review parallel approaches that do not directly utilize cellular transplantation. The use of cellular transplantation to treat retinal disease has recently become a viable and exciting therapeutic approach. The visibility of the retina and its laminar cellular architecture render it an ideal organ for the development of surgically delivered cellular therapies. Having an in-depth understanding of the current state of cell therapy for the eye is an essential first step toward utilizing similar approaches in other organs. Ophthalmologists, translational clinician-scientists, stem cell scientists, and researchers interested in eye disease will find Cellular Therapies for Retinal Disease: A Strategic Approach essential reading and it is also suitable for workshops or courses at the undergraduate or Ph.D. level.

This book reviews the state-of-the-art in stem-cell-based therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, and highlights advances in both animal models and clinical trials. It comprehensively discusses most neurodegenerative diseases, including such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Huntington’s diseases, amyotrophic sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and retinal degeneration, in which stem cells could potentially be used for therapy in the future. It also addresses the challenges and problems relating to the translation of stem-cell-based therapies into treatments. As such, the book will appeal to research scientists, physicians, graduate students, and medical professionals in the field of stem cells, neuroscience, neurology, neurorestoratology and major neurological disorders.

Retinal Diseases—Advances in Research and Treatment: 2012 Edition is a ScholarlyEditions™ eBook that delivers timely, authoritative, and comprehensive information about Retinal Diseases. The editors have built Retinal Diseases—Advances in Research and Treatment: 2012 Edition on the vast information databases of ScholarlyNews.™ You can expect the information about Retinal Diseases in this eBook to be deeper than what you can access anywhere else, as well as consistently reliable, authoritative, informed, and relevant. The content of Retinal Diseases—Advances in Research and Treatment: 2012 Edition has been produced by the world’s leading scientists, engineers, analysts, research institutions, and companies. All of the content is from peer-reviewed sources, and all of it is written, assembled, and edited by the editors at ScholarlyEditions™ and available exclusively from us. You now have a source you can cite with authority, confidence, and credibility. More information is available at http://www.ScholarlyEditions.com/.

This book looks at where stem cell technology is presently and how it is instrumental in advancing the field of disease modeling and cell transplantation. By focusing on major human disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and heart disorders, the book summarizes the major findings in the field of human stem cells and dissect the current limitations on our understanding of stem cells biology. The chapters focus on the genetics, genomics, epigenetics and physiology of stem cells models, together with technological advances on molecular biology such as CRISPR/Cas9 or epigenetic editing, that will be instrumental in the future of human disease modeling and treatment. In base of the limitations of current disease models and in front of the unmet necessity of finding therapeutical interventions for human disorders, the availability of stem cell technology has opened new doors for several fields. The unlimited self-renewal capacity and more extensive differentiation potential of stem cells offers a theoretically inexhaustible and replenishable source of any cell subtype. Since Professor Shinya Yamanaka described it, 10 years ago in his seminal paper, that somatic cells could be reprogrammed to inducible stem cells (iPSC) just by expressing four transcription factors, the field of has exploded, especially its applications in biomedical research.

Cell and Gene Therapies for Neurologic Diseases, Volume 205 comprehensively covers the scientific background, translational efforts, clinical developments and registered biologics that have entered into clinical practice. Coverage includes types of therapies available and in development, and best practice uses for a variety of neurological disorders including Parkinson's, Huntington's, ALS, stroke, spinal cord RP, demyelination, and epilepsy. As the emergence of gene and cellular therapeutics has changed the clinical landscape for a variety of disorders, and is now ready to do so for neurological diseases, these therapeutic modalities currently complement, and may in time, supplant small molecule drugs. - Summarizes advances in cell and gene therapy for neurological diseases - Describes the therapies available and in development - Includes surgical, ethical, and manufacturing considerations - Identifies best practices for specific neurological diseases - Covers Huntington's, Parkinson's, ALS, Stroke, Demyelination, epilepsy, and more

This book discusses applications of pluripotent stem cells to study eye disease in vitro and to create novel therapies for degenerative eye diseases. Chapters are contributed by experts in the field and cover such topics as the use of pluripotent stem cells in 2D and 3D engineering of ocular tissues for disease modelling and drug testing as well as approaches to replace degenerated RPE and photoreceptors in macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa. Pluripotent Stem Cells in Eye Disease Therapy presents a comprehensive discussion of basic science and clinical applications and is an indispensable resource for everyone from advanced graduate students to advanced professionals who want to learn about the potential of stem cell biology and its role in the field of retinal diseases.

Recent technological advances in the diagnosis of macular disorders have enhanced our understanding of these diseases. At the same time, advances in small-gauge vitrectomy instrumentation and techniques have improved the safety and efficiency of surgery, allowing macular conditions that would have otherwise resulted in blindness to be treated effectively, preserving patients’ sight. Macular surgery continues to evolve rapidly, thanks to exciting future technology trends. This book provides a detailed and up-to-date overview of the field. It begins with essential information on macular anatomy and pathophysiology, examination techniques, and surgical instrumentation. In turn, it discusses a broad range of disease processes, including macular holes, epiretinal membrane, vitreomacular traction and myopic maculopathy. The role and benefits of advanced vitrectomy techniques including submacular surgery, prosthetic vision, robotic surgery, and stem cell and gene therapy are addressed in detail. A review of perioperative care and potential complications rounds out the coverage.

This book provides a contemporary resource on one of the major players in retinal diseases – the Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE). Throughout the book, the physiological and the pathological function of the RPE are covered on equal terms, to help readers to understand the RPE as a whole. Moreover, the development of RPE in diagnostics and therapy are covered, as well as some practical knowledge about RPE experimental models. Retinal Pigment Epithelium in Health and Disease highlights new findings of RPE research and includes the state-of-the-art knowledge of each RPE topic presented. This important feature sets this book apart from other publications, with the chapters following a design which leads from the general to the specific, to give a precise collection of the facts known. The chapters are written by well-known experts that are currently active in the field as consultants, basic scientists, and group leaders, providing expert guidance on the current aspects and future outlooks of this topic.