Characterization of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cell Sheets Aiming for Clinical Application

• hiPSC-RPE cell sheets show characteristics similar to those of native RPE
• A hiPSC-RPE sheet is sufficient to transplant a patient
• All hiPSC-RPEs show gene-expression patterns similar to native RPE
• Autologous nonhuman primate iPSC-RPE cell sheets show no rejection or tumor

SummaryAge-related macular degeneration (AMD) causes severe visual impairment due in part to age-dependent impairment of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). It has been suggested that autologous human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) may represent a useful cell source for the generation of graft RPE. We generated hiPSC-derived RPE (hiPSC-RPE) cell sheets optimized to meet clinical use requirements, including quality, quantity, consistency, and safety. These cell sheets are generated as a monolayer of cells without any artificial scaffolds, express typical RPE markers, form tight junctions that exhibit polarized secretion of growth factors, and show phagocytotic ability and gene-expression patterns similar to those of native RPE. Additionally, upon transplantation, autologous nonhuman primate iPSC-RPE cell sheets showed no immune rejection or tumor formation. These results suggest that autologous hiPSC-RPE cell sheets may serve as a useful form of graft for use in tissue replacement therapy for AMD.

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