With stem cell research, is it possible to create a new eye?
Gun asked:
With stem cell research, Is it possible to create/grow a new eye for a person who have been blind or lose their eye in accident?
Or for people who are too near sighted?
more info
With stem cell research, Is it possible to create/grow a new eye for a person who have been blind or lose their eye in accident?
Or for people who are too near sighted?
more info
« Equity Technical Analysis Review For Friday 10/13/06 | Home | Terry – Stemcell China »
Comments
In principle, yes. If you use a pluripotent stem cell and turn on the correct genes that lead to eye development, you could coerce the stem cell to differentiate into an eye. There are many factors at play, such as the environment in which you’re growing the cells and the behavior of neighboring structures.
I don’t beleive so because the optical nerve would probably be too damaged when the new eye is reattached.
Regrettably, growing a organ as complex as an eye is way, way down the road for organ/tissue engineering. Even if such an organ could be grown from stem cells, the artificial eye would still take years to grow to proper size and interface correctly with the visual cortex of the brain.
One day in the future, maybe, these things will be possible. As far as I know, we are not there yet.
Sorry.
Leave a Comment