Retinal cells and tissue

Retinal cells and tissue represent the biological site for therapeutic intervention in various blinding diseases, where paracrine cargo delivery serves as a sophisticated method for neuroprotection and regeneration. This approach typically involves the use of extracellular vesicles (EVs), such as exosomes, or the secretome of mesenchymal stem cells to transport bioactive molecules like microRNAs and growth factors directly to damaged retinal neurons or the retinal pigment epithelium (Mead & Tomarev, 2017). By bypassing the need for direct cell transplantation, paracrine delivery minimizes risks such as immune rejection and uncontrolled cell proliferation while leveraging the natural signaling pathways of the eye (Harrell et al., 2018). In conditions like age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, these paracrine factors work to suppress inflammation, inhibit pathological angiogenesis, and prevent apoptosis of photoreceptors (Kuo et al., 2021). Current research focuses on optimizing the loading and targeting of these delivery vehicles to enhance therapeutic efficacy and sustain long-term retinal health (Zhu et al., 2021). Monitoring the success of these interventions relies on structural and functional assessments, including optical coherence tomography and electroretinography.

Other names

Retinal tissueRetinal neuronsRetinal pigment epitheliumRPERetinal ganglion cells

Delivery of therapeutic cargo (miRNA, proteins, lipids) via extracellular vesicles or secretome to modulate cellular pathways, reduce inflammation, and promote survival of retinal neurons.