Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP)
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a genetic disorder that causes progressive loss of vision over time. Common symptoms include night blindness and decreased peripheral vision which may lead to tunnel vision.
RP is an inherited condition that can result from several different gene mutations with varying severity. The mutation results in a progressive loss of rod and cone photoreceptor cells
in the retina.
There is currently no cure for RP. Conventional treatments are limited to trying to cope with the symptoms and include low vision aids, portable lighting, or a guide dog.
Many researchers are looking toward stem cell therapy to try and repair and regenerate the photoreceptor cells that are damaged in RP. Currently, the goal of stem cell treatment for RP is to improve quality of life by stopping or slowing the progression of this disease.
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The most current research regarding stem cells and RP is given below:
Recent Advances of Stem Cell Therapy for Retinitis Pigmentosa
Yuxi He, Yan Zhang, Xin Liu, Emma Ghazaryan, Ying Li, Jianan Xie, and Guanfang Su
Abstract: Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a group of inherited retinal disorders characterized by progressive loss of photoreceptors and eventually leads to retina degeneration and atrophy. Until now, the exact pathogenesis and etiology of this disease has not been clear, and many approaches for RP therapies have been carried out in animals and in clinical trials. In recent years, stem cell transplantation-based attempts made some progress, especially the transplantation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). This review will provide an overview of stem cell-based treatment of RP and its main problems, to provide evidence for the safety and feasibility for further clinical treatment.
