ABSTRACT
Treatment strategies for retinal disease, such as laser photocoagulation and vitreoretinal surgical techniques, have revolutionized clinical practice. Retinal and optic nerve diseases are the major causes of permanent visual disability in the developed world, emphasizing the need to search for restorative treatments for these conditions. Many cells of interest do not fit the precise definition of a stem cell, and, except in the case of embryonic stem cells, the term ‘progenitor cell’ is generally preferred. The term ‘central nervous system (CNS) stem cell’ inclusively describes all self-renewing, multipotent cells present in any location within the brain, spinal cord, and retina. The diseased CNS, including the retina, brain, and spinal cord, presents special challenges to medical intervention. In particular, neuronal loss results in permanent functional deficits because of the extremely restricted capacity for effective endogenous neural regeneration. Any experimental attempts at exogenous reconstruction are further confronted with the formidable complexity of the mammalian CNS.
