Human pluripotent stem cells for the modelling of diseases of the retina and optic nerve: toward a retina in a dish.

Human pluripotent stem cells can be differentiated into specific, relevant cell types of interest including the cells of the retina and optic nerve. These cells can then be used to study fundamental biology as well as disease modelling and subsequent screening of potential treatments. Many models of differentiation and modelling have relied on two-dimensional monocultures of specific cell types, which are not representative of the complexity of the human retina and optic nerve. Hence, more complex models of the human retina and optic nerve are required. Three-dimensional organoids and emerging cell culture methods may provide more physiologically relevant models to study developmental biology and pathology of the retina and optic nerve.