Totally blind mice have had their sight restored by injections of light-sensing cells into the eye, UK researchers report.

The team in Oxford said their studies closely resemble the treatments that would be needed in people with degenerative eye disease.

Similar results have already been achieved with night-blind mice.

Experts said the field was advancing rapidly, but there were still questions about the quality of vision restored.

Patients with retinitis pigmentosa gradually lose light-sensing cells from the retina and can become blind.


It's the first proof that you can take a completely blind mouse, put the cells in and reconstruct the entire light-sensitive layer”

Prof Robert MacLaren University of Oxford

The research team, at the University of Oxford, used mice with a complete lack of light-sensing photoreceptor cells in their retinas. The mice were unable to tell the difference between light and dark.
Reconstruction

They injected "precursor" cells which will develop into the building blocks of a retina once inside the eye. Two weeks after the injections a retina had formed, according to the findings presented in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal.

Prof Robert MacLaren said: "We have recreated the whole structure, basically it's the first proof that you can take a completely blind mouse, put the cells in and reconstruct the entire light-sensitive layer."

Previous studies have achieved similar results with mice that had a partially degenerated retina. Prof MacLaren said this was like "restoring a whole computer screen rather than repairing individual pixels".

The mice were tested to see if they fled being in a bright area, if their pupils constricted in response to light and had their brain scanned to see if visual information was being processed by the mind.
Vision

Prof Pete Coffee, from the Institute of Ophthalmology at University College London, said the findings were important as they looked at the "most clinically relevant and severe case" of blindness.
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This is probably what you would need to do to restore sight in a patient that has lost their vision”

Prof Pete Coffee University College London

"This is probably what you would need to do to restore sight in a patient that has lost their vision," he said.

However, he said this and similar studies needed to show how good the recovered vision was as brain scans and tests of light sensitivity were not enough.

He said: "Can they tell the difference between a nasty animal and something to eat?"

Prof Robin Ali published research in the journal Nature showing that transplanting cells could restore vision in night-blind mice and then showed the same technique worked in a range of mice with degenerated retinas.

He said: "These papers demonstrate that it is possible to transplant photoreceptor cells into a range of mice even with a severe level of degeneration.

"I think it's great that another group is showing the utility of photoreceptor transplantation."

Researchers are already trialling human embryonic stem cells, at Moorfields Eye Hospital, in patients with Stargardt's disease. Early results suggest the technique is safe but reliable results will take several years.

Retinal chips or bionic eyes are also being trailed in patients with retinitis pigmentosa.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20898935

Can this work on humans? If it can, then this will be a great medical breakthrough.

afam4eva: Can this work on humans? If it can, then this will be a great medical breakthrough.

Why wouldn't it?
They only tested that procedure on the mouse and it worked.

Great news... Stevie Wonder will be smiling.. one less miracle

. Taken .

one day , we go just wake up see say oyibo don commot
for this earth and we still dey count 3000 megawatts of light.

so the three blind mice have finally recovered their sight, great news.

waiting for it to work on humans, we humans have more complex system than the mice, nice development though

Hope sey the mice don give their testimony

pictures: one day , we go just wake up see say oyibo don commot
for this earth and we still dey count 3000 megawatts of light.

I find ur comment very interesting. yes! the way those people are going, it ll happen soon. can u imagine the extent and level they are, we dey here thinking we are great. shame on our vision less so called leaders.

ADVERT PLACEMENT
THATS GOOOD IT MEANS THE WORLD REALY PROGRESSING

na lie,na T.B JOSHUA HEAL THEM

Time to open a church and name it "Church of mircales int. company limited" bring
in alot of the injection and plant in the seats.

Yeah! Biotechnology using stem cells. Nice one!

This procedure shld be carried out on our leaders so they can have some vision! By the time their eyes are punctured a time or two...we should get results!

I should say that research is the best way to advance in this modern days of technology. We sleep over everything while those with good intension wakesup with better results.

kenny987: This procedure shld be carried out on our leaders so they can have some vision! By the time their eyes are punctured a time or two...we should get results!

LMAO......true talk.

kenny987: This procedure shld be carried out on our leaders so they can have some vision! By the time their eyes are punctured a time or two...we should get results!

some nairalanders need it too!

Meanwhile Nigerians still have their hands clasped tightly in fervent prayers. Whilst other countries are engaging in research & development to make the world a better place.It's a sorry state of affairs

Great news!....

pictures: one day , we go just wake up see say oyibo don commot
for this earth and we still dey count 3000 megawatts of light.

lol

cold: Meanwhile Nigerians still have their hands clasped tightly in fervent prayers. Whilst other countries are engaging in research & development to make the world a better place.It's a sorry state of affairs

the irony is that many of the scientists involved in such discovery are probably active christians who begin their day with their hands tightly clasped in fervent prayer.

all those beggers will soon be out of business. Make d injection no cost sha