Donated human eye cells could help restore vision

Conclusion This study has found that rod cells developed from hMSCs in the laboratory could restore rod cell function in rats that had been genetically engineered so that their rod cells died. This offers the potential for treatment that could restore the vision of people with visual impairment of the broad perception of light and dark, the size and shape of objects, and movement. Even though restoring some rod cell function would not provide detailed vision, it could help with carrying out normal activities of daily life, such as moving around and getting food and drink. As the researchers say, using rod cells derived from cells in the adult human retina would be free from some of the ethical concerns regarding the use of embryonic stem cells (very early stage stem cells that can be developed into any cell in the human body). This technique could also be cheaper and simpler than obtaining induced pluripotent stem cells (stem cells generated from adult cells). While using donor cells from another person could mean there is a possibility that the body could "reject" the transplant, the researchers suggest that it could be possible for hMSCs to be taken from the person themselves, avoiding the need for a donor. Further research in people is needed to see whether this would be an effective approach for treating retinal diseases. Currently, many eye conditions cannot be successfully cured, although there are treatments that can be used to prevent symptoms from worse...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Genetics/stem cells Medical practice Source Type: news