Stem Cells and Blindness Archives
Molecular Mechanism Found for Stem Cell Therapies To Treat Eye Disorders
In discovering a protein that helps organize the development of the retina, UC Irvine researchers have found a new molecular mechanism that may allow for stem cell-based therapies to treat eye disorders such as retinal degeneration.
The finding also reveals how the retina's own stem cells can be directed to aid the growth of new cells to replace diseased or dying ones in the eye. Study results appear in the June 24 issue of the journal Science.
Anne L. Calof in the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology and her UCI colleagues have identified how a protein called GDF11 controls a key component of retinal-cell differentiation during development, which makes GDDF11 an attractive therapeutic target.
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Posted on June 27, 2005 03:01 PM | Comments (0)
Hickory,North Carolina Man Regains Sight With Help From Stem Cell Therapy
Greg McLaughlin of Hickory, North Carolina lost his right eye after complications from a cornea transplant back in 1985. Stem cell therapy was then used three years ago to strengthen his left eye. This allowed for a cornea transplant a year later to improve his sight.
Four years ago, McLaughlin couldn’t read or drive a car. Stem cell research literally changed his view on life.
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Posted on June 7, 2005 11:04 AM | Comments (0)
Unrestrained Retina Too Much of A Good Thing
La Jolla, CA — When primitive nerve cells begin forming an eye in the mouse embryo, they are programmed to build a retina. But the ability to see depends upon connecting the retina to the brain via the optic nerve. Unless these embryonic cells are given the right cue at the right time, they mistakenly form a huge eye that consists entirely of retina and lacks the optic nerve.
The discovery that the retina is the 'default' setting for development in the embryonic eye comes from research by neurobiologist Greg Lemke and his colleagues at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, published in the current issue of Genes & Development. The scientists carried out their work on the laboratory mouse as a model of human biology.
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Posted on May 17, 2005 10:14 PM | Comments (0)
Regal One Acquires Interest in American Stem Cell Corporation; Advancing Biomedical Research and Supporting California Economic Growth
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2005--Regal One Corporation (OTCBB:RONE) has recently acquired a 10% interest in Nevada-based American Stem Cell Corporation (ASC). Regal One has the option to acquire additional equity in the company. Following regulatory approval, Regal One plans to issue a portion of its ASC shares as dividends to its more than 600 shareholders. ASC will be relocating to Southern California following this investment.
American Stem Cell Corporation, a development stage company, is building an enterprise based on what it believes is a unique and unparalleled business opportunity to take a leading role in evaluating, acquiring, integrating and commercializing advanced stem cell technologies and related therapies. Its goal is to become an industry leader in the commercialization of stem cell research achievements by seeking to control a combination of compatible technology advances that could result in the acceleration to market of stem cell therapies. ASC's pending acquisition of Lifeline Technology LLC is its important initial step in executing this overall plan. ASC, following certain regulatory filings, intends to become a reporting issuer under applicable federal securities laws and expects to trade as a public company.
...Posted on May 5, 2005 06:54 PM | Comments (0)
Stem Cell Research For Restoring Vision Or Curing Blindness
In West Sussex, U.K. researchers are pioneering the use of stem cells to restore the eyesight of patients.
In a trial carried out at the Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, 40 people can now see again as a result of the treatment.
This surgical procedure has been under development over the past five years.....
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Posted on May 2, 2005 10:06 PM | Comments (0)
Cord Blood Accelerates Eye Treatments
Scientists in New Delhi, India have used a component of umbilical cord blood to treat eye defects related to cornea damage and are claiming that it speeds up healing.
"Use of serum, obtained from umbilical cord blood, was found to accelerate healing (cornea-related eye defects) to two-three weeks. Normal time for healing using other interventions is six-seven weeks," Dr R B Vajpayee from the R P Centre at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, whose team carried out the study, told PTI....
The umbilical cord serum was delivered in form of eye drops, Vajpayee said adding it was first tested for diseases such as HIV, hepatitis B and C.
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Posted on April 11, 2005 01:36 PM | Comments (0)
Dr. Robert Lanza of Advanced Cell Technology Receives Wired Magazine's 2005 Rave Award for Medicine
- Lanza Recognized for Commitment to Finding Cures
WORCESTER, Mass., March 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Dr. Robert Lanza, Vice President of Medical and Scientific Development at Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (ACTH) has been awarded the 2005 Rave Award for Medicine by Wired Magazine.
Wired Magazine recognized Dr. Lanza's for his commitment to finding cures through stem cell research and his recent work in coaxing stem cells to develop into retinal cells, showing that researchers may look at the transcriptome, or pattern of mRNA expression, to help more quickly identify cells that will mature into specialized tissue. According to Dr. Lanza, the retinal cells that grow could lead to a cure for some forms of blindness...
...Posted on March 25, 2005 05:46 PM | Comments (0)
Russian Researchers-Embryo Stem Cells Can Repair Retina
I have personally been waiting for more news about research in this field and, even if it has been a loooong wait ... russian researchers are reporting about an embryonic stem cell treatment that has been used to repair damaged retinas in rabbits. Further, they are suggesting that this same treatment could be used one day to treat blindness in humans. This made my day, for very personal reasons ....
They transplanted cultivated cells into rabbit retinas damaged by a laser, placing them into several sections of burnt tissue....
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Posted on March 18, 2005 11:35 PM | Comments (0)
Korea: Umbilical Stem Cells To Be Tested For Treatment of Blindness
A Chosun University professor said he will seek the South Korean's government's permission to use stem cells on retinal cells of five blind people.
Professor Song Chang-hun said his team wants the government to permit stem cell trials on the five people who lost their sight due to retinitis pigmentosa, the Korea Times reported Saturday.
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Posted on February 14, 2005 08:13 PM | Comments (0)
RegenTec Gets Government Funding for Stem Cell Research Targetting Blindness
A spin-out company from the University of Nottingham has been awarded around £250,000 of Government funding to develop innovative stem cell therapies that could one day provide new treatments for patients suffering from illnesses including Parkinson’s disease and stroks and blindness.
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Posted on January 25, 2005 02:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Regenerating the Retina with Stem Cells
Amidst the estimated 1.5 million cells in the retina, it was found there is a relatively very small population of cells, about 10,000 cells per eye, that have retinal stem cell characteristics (proliferation, self-renewal, and multipotentiality)....
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Posted on January 21, 2005 10:18 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Stem Cell Transplants Help Mice See
Reuters has an article about Dr. Michael J. Young over at Harvard Med and his colleagues harvested retinal stem cells from newborn mice that had been bred with a gene that colored their tissues fluorescent green. The cells were then transplanted into the degenerating retinas of adult mice restoring and improving the animals' vision... Read On
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Posted on December 13, 2004 11:42 AM
Human retinal stem cells could be used to restore vision to people with sight problems
Stem cells taken from the back of the eye could eventually be used to restore normal vision in people with sight problems, researchers have said... Read On
...Posted on December 9, 2004 05:44 AM
Harvard Research finds Stem Cells fight Eye Problems
A Harvard based research team just released a study demonstrating that transplanted stem cells may help in fighting eye-related problems, which include macular degeneration and other retinal diseases.
Schepens Eye Research Institute researchers (an affiliate of Harvard Medical School) found that transplanted stem cells into the eyes of mice that suffered visual imparement preserved and even improved their vision.
Link up:
The Harvard Crimson Online - Stem Cells May Solve Eye Problems
Tulsa World - Stem cells can preserve vision
...Posted on November 24, 2004 09:45 AM