Trabecular Meshwork Regeneration-a Potential Treatment for Glaucoma

Purpose of reviewIn this review, we overview the pathophysiology of primary open-angle glaucoma as it relates to the trabecular meshwork (TM), exploring modes of TM dysfunction and regeneration via stem cell therapies.Recent FindingsStem cells from a variety of sources, including trabecular meshwork, mesenchymal, adipose, and induced pluripotent stem cells, have shown the potential to differentiate into TM cells in vitro or in vivo and to regenerate the TM in vivo, lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) and reducing glaucomatous retinal ganglion cell damage.SummaryStem cell therapies for TM regeneration provide a robust and promising suite of treatments for eventual lowering of IOP and prevention of glaucomatous vision loss in humans in the future. Further investigation into stem cell homing mechanisms and the safety of introducing these cells into human anterior chamber, for instance, are required before clinical applications in treating glaucoma patients.