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Scientists have successfully regenerated cells in the retina of adult mice. Their results raise the hope that someday it may be possible to repair retinas damaged by trauma, glaucoma and other eye diseases. Many tissues of our bodies, such as our skin, can heal because they contain stem cells that can divide and differentiate into the type of cells needed to repair damaged tissue.
The cells of our retinas, however, lack this ability to regenerate. As a consequence, injury to the retina often leads to permanent vision loss. This is not the case, however, in zebrafish, whose retinas contain cells called Müller glia that harbor a gene that allows them to regenerate. The scientists conducting this study wanted to see whether it was possible to use this gene to re-program Müller glia in adult mice. The researchers hoped to prompt a regeneration that doesn't happen naturally in mammalian retinas.Image credit: Tom Reh Laboratory
