Tissue engineering of outer blood retina barrier for therapeutic development

Age related macular degeneration and other retinal degenerative disorders are characterized by disruption of the outer blood retinal barrier (oBRB) with subsequent ischemia, neovascularization, and atrophy. Despite the treatment advances, there remains no curative therapy, and no treatment targeted at regenerating native-like tissue for patients with late stages of the disease. Here we present advances in tissue engineering, focusing on bioprinting methods of generating tissue allowing for safe and reliable production of oBRB as well as tissue reprogramming with induced pluripotent stem cells for transplantation. We compare these approaches to organ-on-a-chip models for studying the dynamic nature of physiologic conditions. Highlighted within this review are studies that employ good manufacturing practices and use clinical grade methods that minimize potential risk to patients. Lastly, we illustrate recent clinical applications demonstrating both safety and efficacy for direct patient use. These advances provide an avenue for drug discovery and ultimately transplantation.