REGENERATIVE MEDICINE IN OPHTHALMOLOGY
Prof. Goran Petrovski MD, PhD, Dr. habil.
Head of Department, Center for Eye Research
Ophthalmology Clinic
Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo,
Norway
The eye, as the smallest organ, is a “gold mine” for obtaining primary and stem cells for therapeutic purposes.
Ex vivo expanded corneal epithelial stem cell transplants, as well as epithelial cells differentiated from embryonic- and induced pluripotent stem cells, are already a reality in cell therapy for patients with limb deficiency. In addition, stromal corneal stem cells, in combination with 3D printing technology, are already used in translation studies to treat corneal ulcers. Femto laser technology allows us to implant these cells with maximum precision and safety using lamellar corneal surgeries.
In the posterior segment of the eye, the retina is also susceptible to degenerative and atrophic changes requiring regenerative therapy with primary or stem (differentiated from embryonic- or induced pluripotent) cells such as retinal pigment epithelium. Transplantation of such cells using a variety of biotransmitters, in combination with minimally invasive procedures are underway in clinical trials in several centers. Alternative treatments for tissue binding or regeneration of maculopathies, such as platelet-enriched plasma treatments and retinal transplants, are routinely performed and show promising results.
The future of ophthalmology is in regenerative medicine and cell therapy with primary or stem cells and their derivatives.
Curriculum Vitae:
https://projectmirc.org.mk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/PETROVSKI_CV_26-02-2021-1.pdf