For the first time in the laboratory – retina from embryonic stem cells

The first three-dimensional tissue structure grown from stem cells in the laboratory was an eight-layer retina.

Researchers at the University of California at Irvine, working under the leadership of Hans Keirstead, believe that their achievement is the first important step towards the development of ready-to-transplant retinas for the treatment of diseases leading to blindness, such as retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration.

As part of earlier work, the researchers developed a method for directed differentiation of human embryonic stem cells. Based on the results of this work, it is planned to conduct the world's first clinical trials of cell therapy for acute spinal cord injuries.

In their latest study, the authors used the differentiation technique they developed to create numerous types of cells that make up the retina. The most difficult of the tasks facing the researchers was to ensure the proper tissue structure of the retina. To do this, they used a gel matrix of layers of microscopic thickness with different concentrations and composition of nutrients and growth factors that stimulate the differentiation of embryonic stem cells into various types of progenitor cells typical of retinal tissues at an early stage of development.

Currently, the developers are testing the possibility of transplanting artificially grown retina in animal models. If positive results are obtained, that is, successful restoration of the animals' vision, they hope to conduct clinical trials of the method.

The results of the work are published in the preliminary on-line version of the Journal of Neuroscience Methods in the article "Three-dimensional early retinal progenitor 3D tissue constructs derived from human embryonic stem cells".

Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru Based on ScienceDaily: Retina Created from Human Embryonic Stem Cells.

28.05.2010