Blind mice see again after cell transplants

[mawilson 2,133]

British and American scientists have restored vision in blind mice by

transplanting light-sensitive cells into their eyes in a breakthrough that

could lead to new treatments of human eye diseases.

The mice suffered from eye damage called photoreceptor loss, which occurs

in macular degeneration, the leading cause of sight loss in the elderly, and

other eye disorders.

But instead of using stem cells, which could form into any cell type, the scientists

transplanted cells that had reached a later stage of development toward

becoming photoreceptor cells.

"We have shown for the first time that it is possible to transplant photoreceptors,"

said Dr. Robert MacLaren, a scientist and eye surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital

in London.

"These cells are lost in some of the more common causes of blindness," he

added in an interview.

The scientists believe further research could lead to the first human retinal cell

transplants for people with blinding diseases within a decade.

Photoreceptors are specialized, light-sensitive cells that line the back of the eye

and are essential for sight. In eye diseases such as macular degeneration, the

cells are destroyed.

Previous studies that had used stem cells, master cells in the body that have

the potential to become any type of cell in the body, had failed because the cells

did not form into photoreceptors.

Researchers had thought that the mature retina, the part of the eye that senses

light and forms images, did not have the capacity for repair.

MacLaren and his collaborators showed the key to successful transplantation was

using precursor cells that are already programmed to become photoreceptors

but are not quite there yet.

"We have taken them out of the donor retina and transplanted them into a host

retina extremely quickly at that precise point in time and with minimal trauma to

the surrounding tissue," MacLaren explained.

The mice had eye diseases caused by genetic defects.

Scientists have recently found cells on the margin of the retina in humans which

have stem-cell like properties and could potentially be grown in the lab to become

photoreceptor precursor cells for treatment.

The findings by MacLaren and scientists from the Institute of Ophthalmology and

the Institute of Child Health in London and the University of Michigan Medical School

are published online by the journal Nature.

"Rather than focusing on stem cells, we believed that if we could understand how

cells develop and become photoreceptors...our transplantation efforts would meet

with greater success," said professor Anand Swaroop, of the University of Michigan

Medical School and a co-author of the study.

"This technique gives us new insights in repairing damage to the retina and possibly

other parts of the central nervous system," he added in a statement.

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

interesting.

Daniel

:energetic:

[almaty 19]

good article

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Of course their vision was quickly taken away from them in the next experiment.

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

Of course their vision was quickly taken away from them in the next experiment.

did they have hairy palms?

Daniel

:energetic:

[one...two...tree 2,762]

There's hope for the bushbots afterall.

[Ban Hammer 13,349]

There's hope for the bushbots afterall.

in other news, doctors still trying to find a suitable cure for bashbot's terminal rectal defilade

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

There's hope for the bushbots afterall.

in other news, doctors still trying to find a suitable cure for bashbot's terminal rectal defilade

familiar with this are we charles?

Daniel

:energetic:

[Ban Hammer 13,349]

There's hope for the bushbots afterall.

in other news, doctors still trying to find a suitable cure for bashbot's terminal rectal defilade

familiar with this are we charles?

Daniel

:energetic:

yup, see it all the time here in vj

[Carol&Marc 0]

There's hope for the bushbots afterall.

in other news, doctors still trying to find a suitable cure for bashbot's terminal rectal defilade

familiar with this are we charles?

Daniel

:energetic:

yup, see it all the time here in vj

Bashbot last seen at 7-11 running east! Witnesses got this picture before he disapeared behind bush.

[Fandango 1,439]

There's hope for the bushbots afterall.

Seriously, you should just shag Bush and end this obsession with him

[Ban Hammer 13,349]

There's hope for the bushbots afterall.

Seriously, you should just shag Bush and end this obsession with him

[tigretigre 0]

Now the scientists just need to find a way to replace the tails of the blind mice that were cut off by that sadistic, carving knife-wielding farmer's wife.