Cell transplantation offers hope for reversing some forms of blindness
Using adaptable new cells to replace damaged or nonfunctioning ones has long been a promising therapy for a variety of disorders in theory. In reality, however, it can be quite difficult to implement. One area that holds particular potential for cell transplantation is vision problems involving the retina of the eye. Photoreceptor loss currently causes irreversible blindness in many retinal diseases, but the neural circuitry is not damaged and, in theory, transplanted cells could tap into it and restore sight. After evidence mounted that brain- and retina-derived stem cells did not work as hoped, a group led by Robert MacLaren, Ph.D., at the University College London Institute of Ophthalmology used JAX® Mice to try a different approach, reported in Nature November 9, 2006. They used immature retinal cells and discovered that, if obtained within a narrow developmental time frame, the immature cells were able to successfully integrate, form new nerve connections, and improve visual function. Their findings yield important insights into possible techniques for effective transplantations in humans, providing new hope for many people with what is now regarded as irreversible blindness.
