Algae DNA can help blind people see light

Viruses that are transplanted by algae will help blind people to be able to see.

Optogenetics is one of the greatest achievements of the genomic cutting industry in the last decade. This field has enabled researchers to understand how the brain works on animals by reacting neurons to light. Until now, scientists will be testing for the first time genetic photosynthesis on the human body to help those who are born blind to have the same eyesight as ordinary people.

Viruses from the algae gene will help innate blinds see the light.

According to Engadget, using the studies of Professor Zhuo-Hua Pan at Wayne State University, a company called RestroSense will inject the virus that connects light-sensitive DNA of the algae into the eye of the patient. Previously, the only success in the field of vision recovery came from the implantation of Argus II .

This test will be done on patients with dark retinitis, a disease that paralyzes specific light sensitive cells of the human eye, making the patient permanently blind. Instead of finding ways to repair damaged cells, the RestroSense team will focus on treating ganglion cells near nerve fibers. This treatment will cause cells to produce a light-sensitive protein that can send signals to the brain when exposed to light. The technique appears to have been successful in blind mice - blind mice after treatment also knew how to evade strong light sources like normal mice.

This test will be done on patients with retinitis in the dark.

Scientists hope to create 100,000 light-sensitive cells, allowing people to see good vision. However, they will have to do real tests to determine their results. This technology also has some limitations: because algae cells are only sensitive to blue, patients treated may only see black and white images. Algae cells also have much lower light sensitivity than human retinas, so patients will only see clearly in bright environments. If this treatment is successful, the problem of underexposure will be solved by wearing light-sensitive glasses for the patient.

RestroSense team will focus on treating ganglion cells near nerve fibers.

Professor Zhuo-Hua Pan and his colleagues had hoped to experiment with human genetic optical technology since 2009, because human eyes already have light sensitivity and a simple, consistent structure. with gene therapy. Not only that, the field of genetics also opens up the ability to treat other diseases such as Parkinson's or chronic pain. To do this, they just need to find out which cells need treatment. After that, the treatment process will simply "turn on the light switch" inside your head. These treatments will be started within the next 5 years.