International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCBB: ISCO), www.internationalstemcell.com,
announced today that ISCO's Research and Therapeutic Development Group,
together with a group of scientists from the University of California,
Irvine (UCI), is starting a second phase of essential pre-clinical
experiments to test retinal pigment epithelium derived from
parthenogenetic stem cells. Follow on pre-clinical experiments will be
conducted to rescue vision in disease models.
“This research will enable us to then test the ability
of these cells to restore vision in rodent models of retinal
degeneration.”
Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) has been derived from parthenogenetic
stem cells by ISCO scientists in close collaboration with UCI
scientists. The RPE cells will be tested for the presence of specific
markers and for functional activity.
Retinal pigment epithelium plays a critical role in maintaining proper
eye function. Loss of function or dysfunction of RPE is involved in a
range of disabling eye conditions, particularly age-related macular
degeneration (AMD) that is the major cause of vision loss in seniors.
Encouraging data from animal models have shown that visual degradation
caused by AMD can be slowed through the transplantation of RPE. One of
the major barriers for this therapy is the lack of sufficient RPE cells
from suitable donated tissue.