Scientists have identified a rare type of stem cell in the human retina that may one day help repair or replace cells lost in diseases like retinitis pigmentosa. These cells, called human neural retinal stem-like cells (hNRSCs), are found at the edge of the retina. They can make more of themselves and can develop into the major types of retinal cells, including photoreceptors, the cells that detect light.
Researchers studied both human fetal retina and lab-grown “mini-retinas” (retinal organoids). They found that organoids naturally generate cells similar to hNRSCs, suggesting that these stem-like cells can be produced in the lab from human stem cells. The team then tested whether these lab-grown cells could help a diseased retina. In a mouse model of retinal degeneration, transplanted hNRSCs survived, developed into mature retinal cells, and helped maintain visual function.
What this means for the Usher syndrome community: This research provides another possible pathway toward future regenerative treatments, approaches that aim to replace damaged or missing retinal cells rather than only slow their loss. Because these stem-like cells can form multiple retinal cell types, they could eventually support therapies for a wide range of genetic conditions, not just one specific mutation. Although this work is still at an early stage and much more testing is needed, it adds an important foundation for developing cell-replacement strategies that could complement gene therapy in the future.
