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Mitsuko KOSAKA, Ph. D. 
Our research studies the possibility of achieving the regeneration of ocular tissue, such as neural retina, by using pigmented epithelial (PE) cells. We have recently found that postnatal avian or mammalian iris PE cells can transdifferentiate into lens or neuron under appropriate conditions. Multipotent stem cells in the iris PE may provide a source for autologous retinal transplantation. Some of our recent findings indicating that iris stem cells express genes characteristic of highly undifferentiated pluripotent stem cells also offer new avenues for exploration for researchers studying the genetic regulation of differentiative potency. We hope this project will open new avenues in the field of stem cell biology and ocular regenerative medicine.
