Atrophic Macular Degeneration and Stem Cell Therapy: A Clinical Review

Silvia Babighian; Maria Sole Zanella; Irene Gattazzo; Alessandro Galan; Caterina Gagliano; Fabiana D'Esposito; Marco Zeppieri

doi:10.1007/5584_2024_819

Atrophic Macular Degeneration and Stem Cell Therapy: A Clinical Review

Adv Exp Med Biol. 2024 Sep 12. doi: 10.1007/5584_2024_819. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Silvia Babighian¹, Maria Sole Zanella^{1

2}, Irene Gattazzo¹, Alessandro Galan¹, Caterina Gagliano^{3

4}, Fabiana D'Esposito^{5

6}, Marco Zeppieri⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Ophthalmology, Ospedale Sant'Antonio, Azienda Ospedaliera, Padova, Italy.
² Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
³ Eye Clinic Catania University San Marco Hospital, Catania, Italy.
⁴ Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Enna "Kore", Piazza dell'Università, Enna, EN, Italy.
⁵ Imperial College Ophthalmic Research Group (ICORG) Unit, Imperial College, London, UK.
⁶ Eye Clinic, Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
⁷ Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Udine, Udine, Italy. mark.zeppieri@asufc.sanita.fvg.it.

PMID: 39259423
DOI: 10.1007/5584_2024_819

Abstract

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of visual loss in older patients. No effective drug is available for this pathology, but studies about therapy with stem cells replacing the damaged retinal cells with retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) were described. The documentation of AMD progression and the response to stem cell therapy have been performed by optical coherence tomography, microperimetry, and other diagnostic technologies.This chapter reports a clinical review of the most important clinical trials and protocols regarding the use of stem cells in AMD.

Keywords: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD); Optical coherence tomography; Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE); Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).