Background
Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell therapy is a promising way to treat many retinal diseases. However, obtaining transplantable RPE cells is time-consuming and less effective. This study aimed to develop novel strategies for generating engineered RPE patches with physiological characteristics.
Conclusions
Our study suggests that the supplementation of small molecules and 3D spheroid culture, as well as the bioprinting technique, can be effective methods to promote RPE cultivation and construct engineered RPE sheets, which may support future clinical RPE cell therapy and the development of RPE models for research applications.
Results
Our findings revealed that RPE cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) successfully self-assembled into spheroids. The RPE spheroids treated with Y27632 and Repsox had increased expression of epithelial markers and RPE-specific genes, along with improved cell viability and barrier function. Transcriptome analysis indicated enhanced cell adhesion and extracellular matrix (ECM) organization in RPE spheroids. These RPE spheroids could be seeded and bioprinted on collagen vitrigel (CV) membranes to construct engineered RPE sheets. Circular RPE patches, obtained by trephining a specific section of the RPE sheet, exhibited abundant microvilli and pigment particles, as well as reduced proliferative capacity and enhanced maturation. Conclusions: Our study suggests that the supplementation of small molecules and 3D spheroid culture, as well as the bioprinting technique, can be effective methods to promote RPE cultivation and construct engineered RPE sheets, which may support future clinical RPE cell therapy and the development of RPE models for research applications.