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Light in a tunnel - A hope for macular degeneration sufferers

Date: 21 Jun 2010
Member: Agnieszka Lichanska


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The retinal cells were grown to form 3D structures from embryonic stem cells.
Macular degeneration usually a disease of elderly and in some cases a result of rare genetic disorders leads to blindness with no hope of restoring eyesight. It is a devastating disease, much more common as we live longer than ever before.

A controversial treatment that has been trialed relied on using human fetal tissue for transplantation. The method is controversial ethically and provides partial improvement.

There is an obvious need to find a better and more acceptable method. Recent discoveries by Hans Keirstead's group from University of California, using human embryonic stems cells give a hope that stem cells can be a potential source of transplantable material.

However, there is still a lot of work ahead of the scientists as the transplants have to be show that they integrate into eye tissue and be able to work long term. Additional issue is to be able to find an alternative stem cells for the transplants as using human embryonic cells is still ethically questionable. Yet, it is encouraging that there might be a chance for all of us to possibly benefit from this technology when macular degeneration strikes.

Agnieszka

Last Updated on 21 Jun 2010

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