This book discusses why specific diseases are being targeted for cell-based retinal therapy, what evidence exists that justifies optimism for this approach, and what challenges must be managed in order to bring this technology from the laboratory into routine clinical practice. There are a number of unanswered questions (e.g., surgical approach to cell delivery, management of immune response, optimum cell type to transplant) that very likely are not going to be answered until human trials are undertaken, but there is a certain amount of “de-risking” that can be done with preclinical experimentation. This book is essential reading for scientists, clinicians, and advanced students in stem cell research, cell biology, and ophthalmology.

Ocular neuroprotection is aimed at protecting the death of photoreceptors, retinal ganglion, or other important neurons in cases of disease or trauma. Levin (ophthalmology and neurology, U. of Wisconsin at Madison, US) and Di Polo (pathology and cell biology, U. of Montreal, Canada) present 18 chapt.

This book will contain the proceedings of the XIV International Symposium on Retinal Degeneration (RD2010), held July 13-17, 2010, in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, Canada. The volume will present representative state-of-the-art research in almost all areas of retinal degenerations, ranging from cytopathologic, physiologic, diagnostic and clinical aspects; animal models; mechanisms of cell death; candidate genes, cloning, mapping and other aspects of molecular genetics; and developing potential therapeutic measures such as gene therapy and neuroprotective agents for potential pharmaceutical therapy.

Since the first successful isolation and cultivation of human embryonic stem cells at the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1998, there has been high levels of both interest and controversy in this area of research. This book provides a concise overview of an exciting field, covering the characteristics of both human embryonic stem cells and pluripotent stem cells from other human cell lineages. The following chapters describe state-of-the-art differentiation and characterization of specific ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm-derived lineages from human embryonic stem cells, emphasizing how these can be used to study human developmental mechanisms. A further chapter discusses genetic manipulation of human ES cells. The concluding section covers therapeutic applications of human ES cells, as well as addressing the ethical and legal issues that this research have raised.

Patient specific and disease specific stem cell lines have already introduced groundbreaking advances into the research and practice of ophthalmology. This volume provides a comprehensive and engaging overview of the latest innovations in the field. Twelve chapters discuss the fastest growing areas in ophthalmological stem cell research, from disease modelling, drug screening and gene targeting to clinical genetics and regenerative treatments. Innovative results from stem cell research of the past decade are pointing the way toward practicable treatments for retinitis pigmentosa, age related macular degeneration, and Stargardt disease. What future directions will stem cell research take? Researchers, graduate students, and fellows alike will find food for thought in this insightful guide tapping into the collective knowledge of leaders in the field. Stem Cells in Ophthalmology is part of the Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine series dedicated to discussing current challenges and future directions in stem cell research.

This advanced text, first published in 2006, takes a developmental approach to the presentation of our understanding of how vertebrates construct a retina. Written by experts in the field, each of the seventeen chapters covers a specific step in the process, focusing on the underlying molecular, cellular, and physiological mechanisms. There is also a special section on emerging technologies, including genomics, zebrafish genetics, and stem cell biology that are starting to yield important insights into retinal development. Primarily aimed at professionals, both biologists and clinicians working with the retina, this book provides a concise view of vertebrate retinal development. Since the retina is 'an approachable part of the brain', this book will also be attractive to all neuroscientists interested in development, as processes required to build this exquisitely organized system are ultimately relevant to all other parts of the central nervous system.

This book looks at where stem cell technology is presently and how it is instrumental in advancing the field of disease modeling and cell transplantation. By focusing on major human disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and heart disorders, the book summarizes the major findings in the field of human stem cells and dissect the current limitations on our understanding of stem cells biology. The chapters focus on the genetics, genomics, epigenetics and physiology of stem cells models, together with technological advances on molecular biology such as CRISPR/Cas9 or epigenetic editing, that will be instrumental in the future of human disease modeling and treatment. In base of the limitations of current disease models and in front of the unmet necessity of finding therapeutical interventions for human disorders, the availability of stem cell technology has opened new doors for several fields. The unlimited self-renewal capacity and more extensive differentiation potential of stem cells offers a theoretically inexhaustible and replenishable source of any cell subtype. Since Professor Shinya Yamanaka described it, 10 years ago in his seminal paper, that somatic cells could be reprogrammed to inducible stem cells (iPSC) just by expressing four transcription factors, the field of has exploded, especially its applications in biomedical research.

Vision is the most important sense in higher mammals. The retina is the first step in visual processing and the window to the brain. It is not surprising that problems arising in the retina lead to moderate to severe visual impairments. We offer here a collection of reviews as well as original papers dealing with various aspects of retinal function as well as dysfunction. New approaches in retinal research are described, such as the expression and localization of the endocannabinoid system in the normal retina and the role of cannabinoid receptors that could offer new avenues of research in the development of potential treatments for retinal diseases. Moreover, new insights are offered in advancing knowledge towards the prevention and cure of visual pathologies, mainly AMD, RP, and diabetic retinopathy.

Stem cells of varying potencies originating from the organ generating totipotent embryonic stem cells (ESCs) to terminally differented cells such as platelets formation, via pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), and their downstream multipotent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), have in general been well characterized. Thus majority of these different stem cell types and their differentiation progeny can be tracked for subjecting to further characterizations for clinical relevance and consequently needed biological modifications at the cellular and molecular levels, for patients clinical treatments. The very first section of this books contents deal with the above stated description. Such characterizations and research laboratory manipulations of the stem cells have led to their clinical grade applications and treatments with positive benefits, as described in the second section of this book. The clinical benefits as published by Nova Science Publishers herein as part of the contents are of tremendous significance and provide relief to the handicapped individuals, particularly for those who suffered lifes biological hazards. This naturally seeks R&D-mediated bench to bedside benefits and solutions for the genetically defective individuals. Bone marrow-derived stem cells with HSCs as their primary components are increasingly being cast the human eyes with pregnant females resorting cord blood banking as they peek to dwell into the future well being of their offspring(s) which could even benefit their own selves, should there be expectedly sufficient HLA matching. The third section of this book deals with such topics. The induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) which were generated to overcome the ethical considerations of using ESCs were fraught with elaborate molecular and cellular biological engineering methods and the advent of derivation and usefulness of MSCs have since sidelined or relegated the iPSCs to a distant role. Nonetheless the hitherto served purpose of iPSCs is not discounted and yet unknown stumbling blocks of what seems to be a smooth going runway of MSCs may spring up in the clinical paths necessitated by the treatment along the future. In the fourth section of the book, it is to be kept in mind that uncontrolled proliferation of cells should be avoided at all costs. Whereas self-renewal of stem cells is generally expected to lead to a turnover, it need not be the case with regeneration processes. This will depend upon the genetic make up of the donor-derived and invasively injected stem cells plus accompanying biological reagent components, as well as also the recipients physical conditions. The fifth and last section of the book deals with conventional and alternative medicine topics applicable to carcinogenesis or such tendencies. Telomerase activity is a double edged sword. Therefore its homeostasis or equilibrium is to be maintained. Discriminatory apoptosis that is of beneficial nature affecting malignant cells but not the normal cells is necessary. Thus equation between apoptotic and telomerase activities even those of stem cells should be as hand in glove.