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A new faster technique restores vision in mice with retinal degeneration

Researchers plan clinical trials of this in humans to treat retinal diseases

15-Apr-2020

Key points from article :

New technique directly reprograms skin cells (SC) into light-sensing rod photoreceptors.

Skips the previous stem-cell intermediary step which takes 6 months to prepare.

Functional photoreceptors ready for transplantation in only 10 days.

Direct reprogramming involves bathing SC in cocktail of 5 small molecule compounds.

These chemically mediate molecular pathways relevant for rod photoreceptor cell fate.

The result are rod photoreceptors that mimic native rods in appearance and function.

Genes expressed by the new cells were similar to those expressed by real rod photoreceptors.

Researchers demonstrated technique in mice retina, using both mouse- and human-derived SC.

Mice with severely advanced retinal degeneration were able to detect light.

3 months post-transplantation, survival of lab-made photoreceptors were confirmed.

Results will help researchers apply the technique to many other cell types as well.

Research by University of North Texas, NEI, and CIRC Therapeutics published in Nature.

Mentioned in this article:

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Anand Swaroop

Ph.D. Senior Investigator. Neurobiology Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory. NEI

Biraj Mahato

Research scientist, UNTHSC

CIRC THERAPEUTICS

Start-up company for eye treatments

Kapil Bharti

Head of the Ocular and Stem Cell Translational Research Section at NEI.

National Eye Institute (NEI)

Performs and supports vision research and education programs

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Medical research agency that supports scientific studies

Nature

Scientific journal covering research from a variety of academic disciplines, mostly in science and technology

Sai Chavala

CEO and president of CIRC Therapeutics and the Center for Retina Innovation

University of North Texas (UNT)

Public research university in Denton, Texas

Topics mentioned on this page:
Rejuvenation, Vision (health)