Stem cells to help eye damage and disease
25 February 2006
by Richard
Conan-Davies
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Stem cells from blood could help repair eye wounds and help treat two common eye conditions. This is according to research published by Australian and American researchers. Led by Associate Professor Tailoi Chan-Ling of School of Medical Sciences at the University of Sydney, and Professor Maria Grant of the Pharmacology and Therapeutics at the University of Florida, Gainesville suggest that hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), also known as "blood-forming stem cells", could help to treat degenerative diseases of the eye which can result in loss of sight. Professor Chan-Ling explained that "The amazing plasticity of these bone-marrow derived stem cells has not been appreciated in the past and it opens up exciting possibilities for future therapeutic application in various degenerative diseases of the eye". In the study, they showed that these bone-marrow derived stem cells can lead to retinal pigment epithelial cells (the cells whose malfunction results in retinal dystophy) and astrocytes (whose functions include making sure the retina's blood vessels do not leak). |
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