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Review
. 2022 Nov 14:10:905516.
doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.905516. eCollection 2022.

Future perspective of stem cell-derived exosomes: Cell-free therapeutic strategies for retinal degeneration

Zibin Liu  1   2 , Fang Zeng  1   2 , Yao Zhang  3 , Yongqing Liu  4 , Zhuo Li  1   2 , Xiao Liu  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Future perspective of stem cell-derived exosomes: Cell-free therapeutic strategies for retinal degeneration

Zibin Liu et al. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. .

Abstract

With continued expansion of the aged population, the number of patients with retinal degeneration, which is a leading cause of vision loss worldwide, is growing. Stem cell therapies offer hope for regeneration and repair of damaged retinal tissue. Recent reports have highlighted stem cell-derived paracrine mediators, such as exosomes, which appear to exert a therapeutic benefit similar to their cell of origin and do not carry the risk of cell transplantation. One speculated role is that exosomes likely mediate intercellular communication and material exchange. This review depicts the molecular mechanisms underlying exosome-based therapy, especially in retina degeneration diseases. In the future, the use of stem cell-derived exosomes could be considered a novel and cell-free therapeutic strategy in regenerative medicine.

Keywords: cell-free therapy; exosomes; retinal degeneration; stem cell; stem cell-derived exosomes.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
A schematic diagram showing protective mechanisms of the transplanted cells on retinal cells.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Formation process and electron microscope images of exosomes.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Exosomes derived from stem cells play different roles in ophthalmic diseases.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Signaling pathways as underlying potential mechanisms of stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles for retinal degeneration.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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