Efficient differentiation of human retinal pigment epithelium cells from chemically induced pluripotent stem cells

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) hold considerable promise for autologous cellular therapies, particularly in ocular disease treatment, because of the low numbers of cells required for transplantation and the non-invasive nature of graft monitoring. However, the use of hiPSCs in ocular disease treatment faces challenges because the production of clinical-grade autologous hiPSCs via genetic techniques remains expensive, time-consuming, and subject to safety concerns. Here, we utilize a recently reported chemical method to derive human chemically induced pluripotent stem cells (hCiPSCs), demonstrating that hiPSC lines can be generated using small molecules in a simple and robust manner. Moreover, we show that these cell lines can be efficiently differentiated into retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells, which may aid in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Our study provides a foundation for cost-effective, fast, and safe methods that enable efficient production of autologous retinal cell types for ocular disease treatment.