Stem Cell Transplant Restores Sight To Blind Mice

From ClickToNews

1 Abstract
2 Details
3 Source
4 See Also

[edit] Abstract

Scientists in the UK were able to transplant stem cells from mice foetus into adult blind mice, repairing their eyes and restoring sight.

[edit] Details

Stem cells, one of the hottest fields of study in medicine today, have once again shown their potential. UK scientists claim that they were able to repair damaged adult mice retina cells using transplanted stem cells from mice foetus. They attribute their success to the harvesting of properly developed stem cells from the foetus just before the eyes are formed.

The scientists are quick to point that while encouraging, this study pertains only to mice and is not suitable for humans as such. To get the properly developed human stem cells required to perform the same procedure on a human, the stem cells would have to be taken from a foetus during the second trimester of pregnancy.

For now the team of researchers will try to achieve the same results by altering adult stem cells to behave like those taken from the foetus.