Novel cell-based therapies for diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy (DR), a common complication of diabetes mellitus, is the major cause of blindness in the middle-aged and elderly populations, affecting approximately 20% of diabetic patients [1]. The retina is a hyper metabolically active tissue that demands a dynamic interaction of cells ranging from light-sensing photoreceptors to neurons transferring electrochemical signals to the brain via glia and vascular tissue. The function of neurons is dependent on the complex interdependence of retinal cells, which includes the formation of a blood-retinal barrier (BRB), Diabetes has a negative impact on this dynamic system because it alters normal cell-cell interactions, resulting in profound vascular abnormalities, blood-barrier loss, and impaired neuronal function. The lifetime risk of developing DR in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients is 50-60% compared to 90% in type 1 diabetes mellitus patients. (T1DM) [2].