- Study shows cataracts can be cured using a patient’s own stem cells
- Reportedly, the stem cell breakthrough can grow and assemble human eyes
- Based on the research, the regrown living lens in patients’ eyes can help restore eyes in just three months
Scientists have recently shown that cataracts can be cured by using a patient’s own stem cells to regrow a ‘living lens’ in their eyes which can help restore sight in just three months.
Photo Credit: The Telegraph
Described as ‘remarkable,’ the research showed that surgeons reversed blindness in 12 infants born with congenital cataracts by removing the damaged lens and coaxing nearby cells to repair the impairment, an article written by Sarah Knapton which was published on The Telegraph disclosed.
Reportedly, the research could pave the way for millions of older people in Britain to have their sight restored using their own cells.
At present, treatment for cataracts is made possible by inserting an artificial plastic lens into the eye. This, however, can lead to infections, inflammation and a night time halo effect in vision. For infants, the risks from surgery are even greater because their eyes are still developing.
On the other hand, the new technology, which was undertaken by scientists at the University of California, San Diego, showed that cataracts can be treated without the need for a transplant.
“An ultimate goal of stem cell research is to turn on the regenerative potential of one’s own stem cells for tissue and organ repair and disease therapy,” said Dr Kang Zhang, chief of Ophthalmic Genetics and founding director of the Institute for Genomic Medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine, was quoted saying.
Dr. Zhang cited that the success of the new research represents a new approach in how new human tissue or organ can be regenerated and human disease can be treated as he added that this may have a broad impact on regenerative therapies by harnessing the regenerative power of human body.
Cataract surgery, which involves removal of the clouded lens and inserting an artificial plastic version called intraocular lens, is considered as the most common surgical procedure undertaken in England with some 300,000 operations performed annually.
However, a large number of patients undergoing surgery are left with poor eyesight and still need to wear glasses for activities like driving or reading a book.
Under the new technique, lens is removed but leaves behind the lens capsule – a membrane that helps give the lens its required shape to function. Nearby regenerative stem cells are then moved to the membrane where they begin to grow into a new, fully functioning and transparent lens.
Meanwhile, the report noted that stem cell breakthrough allows scientists to grow and assemble human eyes.
In a separate study, scientists at Cardiff University and Osaka University in Japan showed that they could use stem cells to regenerate several types of tissue from the eye.
In addition, the study showed that when transplanted into a rabbit, the tissue appeared to reverse blindness.
Meanwhile, Professor Andrew Quantock, of Cardiff University, said the research shows that various types of human stem cells are able to take on the characteristics of the cornea, lens and retina.
“Importantly, it demonstrates that one cell type – the corneal epithelium – could be further grown in the lab and then transplanted on to a rabbit’s eye where it was functional, achieving recovered vision,” Quantock stated.
Based on the report, around 4000 corneal grafts are performed annually, which rely on human organ donation.
According to Prof. Julie Daniels, of UCL, the two studies illustrate the remarkable regenerative and therapeutic potential of stem cells.
Daniels likewise noted that lens regeneration might also turn out to be possible in ageing adults.
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