Manipulating Retinal Regeneration

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ScienceDaily notes continued progress towards manipulating human regenerative processes: scientist "have discovered what chemical in the eye triggers the dormant capacity of certain non-neuronal cells to transform into progenitor cells, a stem-like cell that can generate new retinal cells. ... with aminoadipate, the newly minted retinal cells migrated to where they might be needed in the retina and turned into desirable cell types. Specifically, [the researchers] showed that by injecting the chemical below the retina, the cells give rise to new photoreceptors -- the type of cells that are lost in retinitis pigmentosa or macular degeneration, as a result, leading to blindness. ... This study is very significant. It means it might be possible to turn on the eye's own resources to regenerate damaged retinas, without the need for transplanting outside retinal tissue or stem cells. If our next steps work in animal disease models, we believe that clinical testing could happen fairly quickly."

Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318113517.htm