Duke University researchers reported iPSC-derived retinal endothelial cells (iRECs) that integrate into damaged retinal tissue in mouse models and form functional vascular structures in vitro. The work uses a stem-cell differentiation strategy designed to recreate endothelial cells specific to retinal microvasculature. When injected into retinal disease mouse models, the iRECs were described as regenerating blood vessels and restoring retinal function. The study is published in Nature Biomedical Engineering and is framed as a platform for modeling and developing therapies for retinal microvascular diseases. For retinal drug developers and cell therapy groups, the results suggest a workable cell-source route to recreate the inner blood–retina barrier context—often a major obstacle for translational biology and testing.