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Ophthalmologists and biochemists from the university of California, and Sun Yat-sen for the first time carried out an operation on the cultivation of a new lens (instead of damaged) in the human eye’s own stem the body’s cells. Due to the operation doctors managed to restore sight in 12 babies born with congenital cataracts. The study is published in the Nature , briefly about it informs the editorial of the journal material
The authors drew attention to the well-known side effect of operations on the crystalline lens replacement -. It blurred due to proliferation of the body’s own tissue. This artificial lens is formed around a dense opaque ring, which are a source of precursor cells of lens tissue (stem cells). The researchers decided to find out whether the same fabric to provide a complete renovation of the lens.
To do this, the researchers conducted a series of experiments on rabbits and monkeys, working with both living organisms and drugs. The authors modified the procedure for the removal and replacement of the lens, changing the scale of the damage dealt to its capsule. After exposure of the lens capsule was administered to him a small needle, creating a hole with a diameter of 1-1.5 mm. Then, the lens material carefully separated from the capsules destroyed using a special device – fakoemulgatora and removed. The cavity thus filled with saline solution.
About a week later, scientists have noted complete recovery of the lens in animals. lens substance was spreading throughout the volume of the capsule, forming a lenticular lens. In the next stage, doctors have used the technique to treat congenital cataracts in children under the age of two years. The age limit is associated with a reduction in the number of age-lens tissue progenitor cells.
Total ophthalmologists have operated 12 children (24 eyes), taken from 37 randomly , the other children in the control group, for which the standard procedure of cataract treatment was carried out. Restoring the lens was observed after three months from the date of the operation.
The authors note that a key factor was the decrease in traumatic surgery for lens capsule. Classical procedure affects about 28 square millimeters and damages the surface layer of the capsule progenitor cells responsible for tissue regeneration. Furthermore, it requires combat complications arising in the majority of cases (for example, inflammatory processes – 74 percent or have turbidity operations described above – 84 percent). A new protocol provided complication rate is only at 17 percent.
According to Zhang, one of the ophthalmologists who performed the operation, the first patient received a similar treatment two years ago. “The child is still good vision” – the doctor said. Zhang hopes that the new lens will grow with the patient, which may reduce the risk of further complications.
is interesting to note that at the same time with this work, but independent of it in the Nature got another publication dedicated to the regeneration of eye tissues. Its authors for the first time succeeded in the same experiment at the same time grow the retina tissue, the cornea and lens
Cataract -. Eye disease in which there is a clouding of the lens material. As a result, a person partially or completely loses sight – the WHO estimates that there are about 18 million people, blinded by cataracts. The cause of the disease can be as external factors such as radiation, and other diseases, such as diabetes. The cause of the turbidity – denaturation of the protein in the lens
Vladimir Korolev
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