Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Stem Cells Restore Sight in Mouse Model of Retinitis Pigmentosa

Source: Columbia University Medical Center
Date: February 24, 2010

Summary:

An international research team led by Columbia University Medical Center successfully used mouse embryonic stem cells to replace diseased retinal cells and restore sight in a mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa. This strategy could potentially become a new treatment for retinitis pigmentosa, a leading cause of blindness that affects approximately one in 3,000 to 4,000 people, or 1.5 million people worldwide. The study appears online ahead of print in the journal Transplantation (March 27, 2010 print issue).