Cellular Therapy for Ocular Degeneration

Abstract

Compositions and methods applicable to cell-based or regenerative therapy for ophthalmic diseases and disorders comprising mesenchymal stem cells, particularly those characterized by the expression of at least one of the following surface markers: CD29, CD44, CD105 or CD166, and the lack of expression of at least one of CD14, CD34 or CD45.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A pharmaceutical composition for treating a patient having an ocular degenerative condition, the composition comprising mesenchymal stem cells in an amount effective to treat the ocular degenerative condition, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 
     
     
         18 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 17 , wherein the mesenchymal stem cells are characterized by the expression of at least one of the following surface markers: CD29, CD44, CD105 or CD166, and the lack of expression of at least one of CD14, CD34 or CD45. 
     
     
         19 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 17  or  18 , wherein the ocular degenerative condition is an acute ocular degenerative condition. 
     
     
         20 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 19 , wherein the acute ocular degenerative condition is a brain trauma, optic nerve trauma or ocular lesion. 
     
     
         21 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 17  or  18 , wherein the ocular degenerative condition is a chronic or progressive degenerative condition. 
     
     
         22 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 21 , wherein the chronic or progressive ocular degenerative condition is macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, limbal epithelial cell deficiency. 
     
     
         23 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 17  or  18 , wherein the mesenchymal stem cells promote the survival of ocular cells in situ but the cells do not form structures similar to the photoreceptor layer and do not express a photoreceptor-specific marker. 
     
     
         24 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 17  or  18 , wherein the mesenchymal stem cells promote the formation of photoreceptors from ocular cells in situ but the stem cells do not differentiate into photoreceptors themselves. 
     
     
         25 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 17  or  18 , containing at least one other cell type. 
     
     
         26 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one other cell type is an astrocyte, oligodendrocyte, neuron, neural progenitor, neural stem cell, retinal epithelial stem cell, corneal epithelial stem cell, or other multipotent or pluripotent stem cell. 
     
     
         27 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 25 , comprising at least one other agent. 
     
     
         28 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one other agent is a drug for treating the ocular degenerative disorder. 
     
     
         29 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 17  or  18 , wherein the cells are administered to the surface of an eye. 
     
     
         30 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 17  or  18 , wherein the cells are administered to the interior of an eye. 
     
     
         31 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 17  or  18 , wherein the pharmaceutical carrier is formulated as a three dimentional matrix or support containing the cells.