British scientists have taken a major step towards growing eye parts in the laboratory, it was announced last night.
Laboratory studies have shown it is possible to transplant critical cells in the eye after growing them in a dish.
The tests involved blind mice and showed that the cells could integrate into the existing retina of the eye.
The researchers at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, report having grown a synthetic retina using a new 3D technique.
They have revealed their work in <i>Nature Biotechnology</i>.
Researcher Professor Robin Ali, of University College London, said: "Over recent years scientists have become pretty good at working with stem cells and coaxing them to develop into different types of adult cells and tissues. But until recently the complex structure of the retina has proved difficult to reproduce in the lab.
"This is probably because the type of cell culture we were using was not able to recreate the developmental process that would happen in a normal embryo.
"The new 3D technique more closely mimics normal development, which means we are able to pick out and purify the cells at precisely the right stage to ensure successful transplantation."
Gonzalez-Cordero et al. Effective transplantation of photoreceptors isolated from three-dimensional cultures of embryonic stem cell-derived retina. Nature Biotechnology 21 July 2013
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