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Thursday, November 04, 2004
Advances in Adult Stem Cell and Retinal Transplant Research
Canadian researchers from the University of Toronto have shown that stem cells taken from the human eye will regenerate:
The research was published online 25 October 2004 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences before print (Coles, B. et al, 'Facile isolation and the characterization of human retinal stem cells,' PNAS, November 2 2004, Vol. 101, No. 44, pp 15772-15777).
Meanwhile, in Louisville, Kentucky, USA scientists have successfully transplanted retinal tissue, taken from foetuses, into the eyes of patients with retinal degeneration:
The article discusses both the treatment and the need to develop guidelines on the use of foetal cells in treating disease.
Note: This entry was updated on 12 November 2004 when I realised that I had incorrectly referred to the transplanted foetal retinal tissues as 'stem cells.' My apologies for causing any confusion. Thanks to discussion of the research on RPList I became aware of my mistake.
To test the potential of the stem cells in a living organism, the researchers transplanted them into the eyes of mouse pups. Four weeks after transplantation, most of the human stem cells had appropriately migrated, differentiated and integrated at the right developmental times.
'Stem Cells Make Eye Contact,' Betterhumans, 25 October 2004.
The research was published online 25 October 2004 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences before print (Coles, B. et al, 'Facile isolation and the characterization of human retinal stem cells,' PNAS, November 2 2004, Vol. 101, No. 44, pp 15772-15777).
Meanwhile, in Louisville, Kentucky, USA scientists have successfully transplanted retinal tissue, taken from foetuses, into the eyes of patients with retinal degeneration:
Three years ago Elisabeth Bryant believed she would be blind for the rest of her life. "I couldn't see anything," she says. Now, although her vision is not perfect, she can see well enough to read, play computer games and check emails. Bryant has retinitis pigmentosa, an eye disease that has blinded four generations of her family. What has saved the sight in one of her eyes is a transplant of a sheet of retinal cells. The vision in this eye has improved from 20:800 to 20:84 in the two-and-a-half years since the transplant- a remarkable transformation. So far, six patients with either advanced retinitis pigmentosa or macular degeneration have had similar transplants.
'Fetal tissue restores lost sight' (New Scientist via EurekAlert 30 October 2004).
The article discusses both the treatment and the need to develop guidelines on the use of foetal cells in treating disease.
Note: This entry was updated on 12 November 2004 when I realised that I had incorrectly referred to the transplanted foetal retinal tissues as 'stem cells.' My apologies for causing any confusion. Thanks to discussion of the research on RPList I became aware of my mistake.
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