London: Hundreds of thousands of people who are registered blind have been offered new hope after scientists discovered stem cells in the eye that can be altered to pick up light. Researchers found a reservoir of stem cells in an area called the corneal limbus. They have proven that, in the right environment, the cells can be transformed into photoreceptor cells that react to light. Scientists are hopeful that implanting the cultured stem cells in a damaged eye will reverse blindness. It could offer a potential cure for hundreds of thousands of people suffering macular degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa, both of which are caused by the loss of photoreceptor cells. The researchers at the University of Southampton found that the cells even existed in the eyes of a 97-year-old, opening up the possibility that the treatment will work for the elderly. These cells are readily accessible, and they have surprising plasticity, which makes them an attractive cell resource for future therapies, said Andrew Lotery, a professor at the university and a consultant ophthalmologist at Southampton General Hospital, who led the study, which is published in the journal Plos One. This would help avoid complications with rejection or contamination because the … Continue reading →