Posted on 06/02/2009 4:47:25 PM PDT by Flavius
Although the novel technique was used to reverse blinding corneal disease, it promises to be a quick, painless and cheap treatment for other visual disorders. It may even be useful for repairing damaged skin, the researchers reported today in the journal Transplantation.
The team leader, UNSW stem cell scientist Nick Di Girolamo said: “We're quietly excited. We don't know yet if (the correction) will remain stable, but if it does it's a wonderful technique”.
According to team member Stephanie Watson - an opthalmic surgeon with Sydney's Prince of Wales Hospital - two of the three patients were legally blind in the treated eye; they can now read big letters on the eye chart. The third could read the top few rows of the chart but is now able to pass the vision test for a driving license.
Although it's early days yet, commented Peter McCluskey, an opthalomogist with Sydney University and director of the Save Sight Institute: “But I think it's really exciting, innovative and novel”.
(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.news.com.au ...
Very nice. Thanks for bringing this to our attention Flavius.
Another non-embryonic stem cell breakthrough! We must inform everyone we know that we support stem cell research and about its achievements. The left wants people to think that we oppose all stem cell research.
Cells from the patients’ own corneas.
Wow. That is so cool.
Yes, it certainly is.
We are on the verge of some amazing life changing discoveries in the fields of gene and cellular sciences.
It’ll be even more exciting if it works for retinal damage.
"Yes? what do you want? can't you see I'm talking here?"
"No, realli? It wasn't? ... they weren't?"
"Adult Stem Cells? Oh, that's different ... nevermind." /Latella
Very much so. Daughter’s retina detached in an accident, and they found out too late- by then it was fused to itself (scar tissue.)
If a the party of a criminal politician is not named, that politician is a Democrat.
If the source of stem cells used in a successful treatment is not specified, they are Adult Stem Cells.
I’ve noticed that all of this research seems to be done OUTSIDE the United States. Is there a ban on use of Adult Stem cells on humans in the US for research purposes?
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