Age-Related Macular Degeneration - Using Human Stem Cells To Enable
The Retina To Repair Itself
Article Date: 19 Mar 2008 - 2:00 PDT
Several new treatments are under investigation that may help prevent
vision loss in people with age-related macular degeneration.
Besides continuing development of treatments to prevent new blood
vessel growth, as well as leakage from blood vessels in the eye,
researchers are also studying drugs known as angiostatic
corticosteroids (such as anecortave acetate, tramcinolone, and
flucinolone)
photodynamic therapy.
PROMISING NEW TREATMENT ON THE HORIZON
Human retinas damaged by diseases, such as age-related macular
degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, are unable to repair
themselves.
But now in a report from the National Academy of Sciences (Volume
103, page 12769), researchers at the University of Washington and
elsewhere suggest that the regeneration of damaged cells in the
retina may someday be possible. Their optimism is based on successful
treatment of diseased retinas in mice using human stem cells.
USING STEMS CELLS: THE STUDY RESULTS SO FAR
The University of Washington scientists first grew human embryonic
stem cells (from a cell line approved in the United States) in a lab,
then added growth factors -- proteins that enable cell growth --
central to the development of both human and mouse heads as well as a
growth factor essential to a frog's sprouting of large eyes.
Within two weeks -- twice as fast as human cell development -- the
embryonic cells became progenitor (forerunner) cells for retinal
cells.
The scientists injected these into a damaged mouse retina, where they
developed into cones (the retinal cells responsible for color), rods
(the cells that allow night vision), and other cells.
The scientists' next step will be to measure the nerve reactions
within the repaired mouse retinas to see if vision has improved.
THE BOTTOM LINE
If the research proceeds well, the researchers speculate that human
tests using stem cells to repair retinas damaged by age-related
macular degeneration might begin in two to three years.
For a free special report, The Johns Hopkins Guide to Age-Related
Macular Degeneration, please visit: Johns Hopkins Guide to Age-
Related Macular Degeneration
http://www.johnshop
http://www.medicaln
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StemCells subscribers may also be interested in these sites:
Children's Neurobiological Solutions
http://www.CNSfoundation.org/
Cord Blood Registry
http://www.CordBlood.com/at.cgi?a=150123
The CNS Healing Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CNS_Healing
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