Transplant cells to help visually impaired people recover vision?

According to a study published on Nature magazine on April 18, British scientists have for the first time demonstrated that transplanting special cells into the eyes of visually impaired mice can help them recover. vision recovery.

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There are two types of photoreceptors: rod and cones. Cells cultured in the study were original rod-like light receptors.

These cells are especially important for their ability to see in the dark because they are extremely sensitive to low light.

Scientists at University College London implanted 30,000 - 40,000 rod cells from healthy baby mice directly into the retina in each eye of adult mice lacking rod-like light receptor cells. status makes them blind in the dark.

After 4 - 6 weeks, the transplanted cells appear to be working effectively as normal rod light receptor cells and have formed the necessary connections to transmit image information to the brain.

In the experiment, rats newly implanted with rod cells were able to use visual cues to quickly find a podium floating in a small water tank hidden in the dark, while the others Untreated rats found only podium casually after swimming around.

Researcher Professor Robin Ali, who led the study, said his team hopes to replicate this success soon with light receptors from the original stem cells and eventually conduct human trials. .

The loss of photoreceptors causes many people to be blind due to eye diseases, including age-related ophthalmia, pigmented retinitis and diabetic blindness.