Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs)

Last medically reviewed: October 7, 2026

⚠ Important — educational information only, not medical advice

EyeCyte provides educational and scientific information and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Emerging regenerative and biologic technologies discussed on this website may be experimental, investigational, unapproved, or supported only by preclinical evidence. Patients should discuss medical decisions with appropriately licensed healthcare professionals.
Not an FDA-approved treatment unless explicitly stated. Except where a page names an FDA-approved product, the stem-cell, MSC, exosome, extracellular-vesicle, Wharton’s jelly and other biologic approaches described here are not FDA-approved for any eye condition. Research findings — especially laboratory and animal studies — are not proof that anything works or is safe in people.
Research-Use-Only (RUO): Research-Use-Only (RUO) materials referenced on EyeCyte are for laboratory research by qualified professionals only. They are not drugs, biologics or devices approved for human use, are not intended for administration to people, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate or prevent any disease.
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Induced pluripotent stem cells are adult cells — such as skin or blood cells — reprogrammed in the laboratory into a pluripotent state. The technique was first reported in 2006.

Research is not treatment. The studies summarized below are investigational. They are presented for education only, do not show that any approach is safe or effective in patients, and are not a recommendation. Unless stated as FDA-approved, none of these approaches is approved for this condition. RUO materials are not for human use.

Why iPSCs matter in vision research

They allow researchers to grow a person's own retinal cell types in the laboratory, to model inherited eye disease, and to test drug candidates in human cells.^[1]

Human research

A widely cited 2017 report described transplantation of iPSC-derived RPE cells in a person with neovascular AMD. It is a single-patient report, not proof of benefit.^[2]

Open questions

Manufacturing consistency, genetic stability, immune compatibility and long-term safety remain active research questions.

Regulatory status: to our knowledge as of our last review, no product in this category is FDA-approved to treat an eye disease. The FDA has warned the public about unapproved stem cell and exosome products.

Answers

Related conditions

Frequently Asked Questions

Are iPSC treatments available for eye disease?

Not as approved treatments. iPSC-derived cells have been studied in early-phase research.

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References

Takahashi K, Yamanaka S. Induction of pluripotent stem cells from mouse embryonic and adult fibroblast cultures by defined factors. Cell, 2006. [Peer-reviewed study · citation details pending reviewer confirmation]
Mandai M, et al. Autologous Induced Stem-Cell–Derived Retinal Cells for Macular Degeneration. New England Journal of Medicine, 2017. [Peer-reviewed study · citation details pending reviewer confirmation]