Stem cells restore sight in lab mice with end-stage retinal degeneration

Vision Changes to Watch Out for as You Grow Older

The number of individuals who lose their sight due to end-stage retinal degeneration is steadily rising and currently, it cannot be reversed. However, groundbreaking research using stem cell technology offers a light at the end of the tunnel.

The researchers [from the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology in Japan] transplanted stem cell-derived retinal tissues into animals with end-stage retinal degeneration. They found that this tissue could be coerced into forming structured outer nuclear layers that included mature photoreceptors.

Going beyond expectations, the procedure managed to restore sight in almost half of the mice with end-stage retinal degeneration. Such significant success was due to the researchers’ choice of cells. Previous work has used retinal cells rather than the differential retinal tissue used in this study.

There is still much work to be done, as [RIKEN scientist Masayo Takahashi] is well aware: “It is still a developing-stage therapy, and one cannot expect to restore practical vision at the moment. We will start from the stage of seeing a light or large figure, but hope to restore more substantial vision in the future.”

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post: Stem cell research offers new hope of restoring sight

{{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.singularReviewCountLabel }}
{{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.pluralReviewCountLabel }}
{{ options.labels.newReviewButton }}
{{ userData.canReview.message }}
screenshot at  pm

Are pesticide residues on food something to worry about?

In 1962, Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring drew attention to pesticides and their possible dangers to humans, birds, mammals and the ...
glp menu logo outlined

Newsletter Subscription

* indicates required
Email Lists
glp menu logo outlined

Get news on human & agricultural genetics and biotechnology delivered to your inbox.