A renewable, engineered cell product shows potential for treating neurodegenerative and retinal diseases

Progressive loss of neurons is the underlying cause for a diverse spectrum of severe diseases called neurodegenerative diseases, which include Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and retinitis pigmentosa. While strategies for regenerating or replacing lost neurons from stem cells are being developed, an alternative treatment option is the protection of existing neurons to prevent their degeneration, a recent study published in Stem Cell Reports suggests.