Transplanted Rod Precursor Cells Restore Vision in Experimental Mice

ByConnor Hodde

Studies in mouse models of night blindness have demonstrated that vision can be restored by transplanting rod precursor cells taken from mouse neonates directly into the retina of recipient animals. The University College London (UCL) Institute of Ophthalmology-led team showed that the transplanted rod cells made synaptic connections with the existing retinal circuitry, were light responsive, and generated visual signals. The transplantation built on their previous photoreceptor transplantation research, and was optimized to increase the number of cells that integrated in the retina.

http://www.genengnews.com/gen-news-highlights/transplanted-rod-precursor-cells-restore-vision-in-experimental-mice/81246649/

Similar Posts

Nanotechnology-Based Cancer Treatment Can Reduce Side Effects

ByConnor Hodde

Conventional cancer treatments are accompanied by a host of side effects such as nausea and vomiting. The intensity of the side effects is many a time so acute that it poses a deterrent to further treatment. The reason behind the side effects is that existing cancer treatment methods do not address just the cancerous cells,…

Prismatic eyewear for patients with tunnel vision to launch

ByConnor Hodde

A trio of eyeglasses using revolutionary prism techniques could open up a whole new field of view for patients with hemianopia.  The three designs – yoked prisms in a carrier lens, a bi-part double Fresnel prism, and the mirror-based periscopic prisms – were showcased in the journal Optometry and Vision Science.  Lead researcher and Harvard…

Detecting diabetic eye disease with machine learning

ByConnor Hodde

Diabetic retinopathy — an eye condition that affects people with diabetes — is the fastest growing cause of blindness, with nearly 415 million diabetic patients at risk worldwide. The disease can be treated if detected early, but if not, it can lead to irreversible blindness.  A few years ago, a Google research team began studying…

Scientists See New Hope for Restoring Vision With Stem Cell Help

ByConnor Hodde

Human-derived stem cells can spontaneously form the tissue that develops into the part of the eye that allows us to see, according to a study published by Cell Press in the 5th anniversary issue of the journal Cell Stem Cell. Transplantation of this 3D tissue in the future could help patients with visual impairments see…

First Human Test of Optogenetics Could Restore Sight to the Blind

ByConnor Hodde

Before our brains build a visual image of our world, a chain of cells in our eyes must convert light into electrical signals that are processed in the brain. Photoreceptor cells in the retina represent the first link in this chain, and they are reactive to photons, or the fundamental particle of visible light. Retinitis pigmentosa causes these cells to…

Retina Protein That May Help Conquer Blindness Discovered

ByConnor Hodde

Research led by Nicolas Bazan, MD, PhD, Boyd Professor and Director of the LSU Health New Orleans Neuroscience Center of Excellence, discovered a protein in the retina that is crucial for vision. The paper reports, for the first time, the key molecular mechanisms leading to visual degeneration and blindness. The research reveals events that may…