Create lens from stem cells

According to Washington newspaper, on February 1, scientists at Monash University are getting closer to cultivating eye parts in the laboratory, opening a new way to treat vitreous diseases.

Associate Professor Tiziano Barberi and Dr. Isabella Mengarelli from the Australian Institute of Regenerative Medicine at Monash University have succeeded in nourishing the vitreous epithelium so that the lens of the eye grows in the laboratory, paving the way for Application of future regenerative medicine.

The vitreous cultured from stem cells will open
New prospects for treating eye diseases.

In addition, researchers can make these precursor cells differentiate with vitreous cells to provide storage for testing new drugs on the human eye.

Pluripotent stem cells have the ability to become any type of cell in the human body, including: blood, skin and brain. Once stem cells begin to differentiate, the challenge for researchers is to control the process and only create a specific type of cell.

Using the fluorescent activation cell classification technology (FACS), Associate Professor Barberi and his team have identified the exact combination of proteins in the vitreous epithelium, allowing them to be isolated These cells leave the remaining cells of the culture process to create the desired cell type.

Associate Professor Barberi said this breakthrough will help cure congenital cataract vision impairment, or avoid serious damage to the glass during implantation.

'To some extent, artificial lenses can recover quickly after surgery. However, difficulties with congenital cataract are caused by DNA that they will have to re-develop from the beginning, " he said.

Along with advances in the production of pluripotent stem cells from fully differentiated adult cells, the study will also develop new treatments for eye diseases.

"The vitreous cells we create are somewhat different from the cells in the human eye. The next challenge is to mimic create more perfectly," Associate Professor Barberi added.