HIF, Hypoxia Research & Stem Cell News

Umbilical Stem Cells May Help Recover Lost Vision for Those With Corneal Disease

CINCINNATI—New research from the University of Cincinnati may help in the recovery of lost vision for patients with corneal scarring.

Winston Whei-Yang Kao, PhD, professor of ophthalmology, along with other researchers in UC’s ophthalmology department found that transplanting human umbilical mesenchymal stem cells into mouse models that lack the protein lumican restored the transparency of cloudy and thin corneas.

Mesenchymal stem cells are “multi-potent” stem cells that can differentiate into a variety of cell types.

These findings are being presented Dec. 8 in San Diego at the 49th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Cell Biology.

“Corneal transplantation is currently the only true cure for restoration of eyesight that may have been lost due to corneal scarring caused by infection, mechanical and chemical wounds and congenital defects of genetic mutations,” Kao says. “However, the number of donated corneas suitable for transplantation is decreasing as the number of individuals receiving refractive surgeries, like LASIK, increases.”

“Worldwide, there is a shortage of suitable corneas for transplantation, and at the present time, there is no effective alternative procedure besides corneal transplantation to treat corneal blindness,” he continues. “There is a large need to develop alternative treatment regimens, one of which may be the transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells.”

Researchers used mouse models that did not have the lumican gene, also known as lumican knock-out models. Lumican is a protein that controls the formation and maintenance of transparent corneas.

“Lumican knock-out models manifested thin and cloudy corneas,” he says. “Transplantation of the umbilical stem cells significantly improved transparency and increased corneal stromal thickness in these mice.”

In addition, Kao says, the umbilical mesenchymal stem cells survived in the mouse stroma (connective tissue) for more than three months with minimal or no rejection and became corneal cells, repairing lost functions caused by mutations.

“Our results suggest a potential treatment regimen for congenital and/or acquired corneal diseases,” he says, adding that the availability of human umbilical stem cells is almost unlimited. “These stem cells are easy to isolate and can be recovered quickly from storage when treating patients.

“These findings have the potential to create new and better treatments—and an improved quality of life—for patients with vision loss due to corneal injury.”

This study was funded by grants from the National Eye Institute, Research to Prevent Blindness and the Ohio Lions Eye Research Foundation.

from http://healthnews.uc.edu/news/?/9613/

Related posts:

• Mumbai, India – Doctors implant stem cells to revive kid’s lost vision

  As Pratik Patil babbles into the pay phone, there is little to indicate that the 27-month-old has been living out of hospitals for over a year. His opaque left eye

• India – Stem cells from single cornea of dead now treating many
  Image via Wikipedia

  Patients suffering from blindness now need not wait for donors as doctors have found a way to treat many with the stem cells derived from the cornea of

• Great Britain – Ready to start embryonic stem cells tests to regenerate neurons
  In a couple of months, the first test to verify if embryonic stem cells directly injected inside patients’ brain plagued by stroke can regenerate damaged areas, will start in Scotland.
  A
• Stem Cells Repair Damaged Corneas in Mice; Procedure may someday replace transplants in people
  Image by GogDog via Flickr

  Stem cells injected into the eyes of mice with defective corneas returned the corneas to a more normal appearance, a new study has

• ITALY – Minister Sacconi questioned about the destruction of umbilical cord stem cells in Matera
  Image by torre.elena via Flickr

  Statement by Maurizio Bolognetti, Secretary of the Associazione Radicali Lucani (Radical Association of the Lucania Area)

  As recently stated, Senators Perduca and Poretti have questioned individuals about

If you need more information about STEM CELLS please visit Latest Stem Cells News