Current clinical trials that evaluate human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-based therapies predominantly target treating macular degeneration of the eyes because the eye is an isolated tissue that is naturally weakly immunogenic. Here, we discuss current bioengineering approaches and biomaterial usage in combination with stem cell therapy for macular degeneration disease treatment. Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) differentiated from hPSCs is typically used in most clinical trials for treating patients, whereas bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMNCs) or mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are intravitreally transplanted, undifferentiated, into patient eyes. We also discuss reported negative effects of stem cell therapy, such as patients becoming blind following transplantation of adipose-derived stem cells, which are increasingly used by ‘stem-cell clinics’.

当前评估人体多能干细胞（hPSC）为基础的疗法的临床试验主要针对治疗黄斑变性，因为眼睛是自然免疫力较弱的分离组织。在这里，我们讨论与黄斑变性疾病治疗的干细胞疗法相结合的当前生物工程方法和生物材料的使用。从hPSCs分化出的视网膜色素上皮（RPE）通常用于大多数患者的临床试验中，而骨髓单核细胞（BMNCs）或间充质干细胞（MSCs）未分化地玻璃体内移植到患者的眼睛中。我们还讨论了干细胞疗法的负面影响，例如，脂肪干细胞移植后患者变得盲目，干细胞诊所越来越多地使用这种疗法。