Scientists in the United States have developed a stem cell treatment that can restore vision to patients who have damaged corneas.  The treatment was developed by researchers from the University of Georgia’s Regenerative Bioscience Center.  The findings of their research were recently published in the journal Biophysical Journal.

The cornea is the clear layer on the front of the eye that covers the pupil, iris and anterior chamber.  It plays a role in the refracting of light and is essential for good vision.  The health of the cornea is maintained by limbal stem cells.

Unfortunately, when the cornea can be damaged by illness or injury, limbal stem cells often cannot repair it sufficiently.  As Dr. James Lauderdale, a co-author of the paper, explains: “Damage to the limbus, which is where the clear part of the eye meets the white part of the eye, can cause the cornea to break down very rapidly.  The only way to repair the cornea right now is do a limbal cell transplant from donated tissue.”

To discover this latest stem cell treatment, researchers used sensitive atomic force microscope to analyse cell cultures.  This technique allowed the researchers to examine and manipulate individual cells and learn more about how they behaved.  They also discovered how limbal stem cells interacted and became adult cells in the cornea.

After studying the cells they found that the limbal stem cells integrating with the cornea  were softer than other types of cells.  This knowledge could help them filter stem cells to find the cells with the best chance of regenerating the cornea.

They went on to design a microfluidic cell sorting device to filter out gimbal cells ideal for transplantation.  It is hoped that this research will lead to a viable stem cell treatment to treat diseases and injuries affecting the cornea.

Source: Stem Cell Treatment May Restore Vision to Patients with Damaged Corneas

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