Our findings address a major controversy in the stem cell transplantation field by showing that retinal cell grafts are attacked by the immune system if the donor and recipient are not immune-matched, and that matching prevents immune attacks against the grafts without the need for immunosuppressants," says first author Sunao Sugita of the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology. "This approach could potentially be used to treat age-related macular degeneration and other retinal diseases in humans.