Eye receptor transplant, hope for the blind

The light sensing cells found in the retina have been grown from scratch in the lab, and then successfully transported to the eyes of blind mice for the first time.

The transplanted cells matured and connected with nerves that transmit visual signals to the brain successfully.

Another experimental stem-cell treatment, one involving a transplant of cells that support and nourish photoreceptors in the eye, has restored the sight of a man blinded by the degeneration of his retinal cells.

Researchers say that if the procedure can be repeated with human stem cells, they believe they can cure most forms of blindness that result from degeneration of these photoreceptor cells, due to either the effects of ageing or diseases like diabetes.

Degeneration of retinal cells is the deterioration of the retina caused by the progressive and eventual death of the cells of the retina. Photoreceptor cell death is the eventual outcome of retinal degeneration. Without proper function of the photoreceptor cells, vision is not possible.