# Investigators Pioneer Use of Stem Cells to Rescue Vision

Category: Health and Wellness

## Post 1 by Bryan (This site is so "educational") on Monday, 25-Sep-2006 16:49:56

Investigators Pioneer Use of Stem Cells to Rescue Vision
By Ben A. Shaberman
In an investigation funded by the Foundation, researchers have made a key breakthrough toward utilizing stem cells to save and restore vision in people
with age-related macular degeneration and other retinal degenerative diseases.
Ray Lund, Ph.D., of the Foundation-funded Oregon Health and Science University Center for the Study of Retinal Degenerative Diseases, in collaboration
with researchers from Advanced Cell Technology and the University of Alberta, used retinal cells derived from human embryonic stem cells to rescue vision
in rats.
The investigative team derived retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells -- cells that are critical to the health of photoreceptors and other retinal components --
from human embryonic stems cells. The RPE cells were then transplanted into rats with retinal degenerative disease.
The investigators reported that "improvement in visual performance of the treated rats was 100 percent over untreated controls."
Though the RPE cells weren't developed enough to completely replace damaged RPE, they were able to rescue vision by producing growth factors -- vision-restoring
proteins that are beneficial to the health of the retina. In addition, the RPE cells survived and produced growth factors over a long period of time.
Lund and his collaborators are pressing forward in their research to produce completely functional RPE and photoreceptors from stem cells to replace and
repair degenerated retinas in humans.
Lund is also Vice-Chair of the Foundation's Scientific Advisory Board and leader of the FFB-David Walsh Stem Cell Consortium. He was formerly with the
Foundation-funded Moran Eye Center, University of Utah.

## Post 2 by frequency (the music man) on Monday, 25-Sep-2006 18:42:01

oo! this is great news.

## Post 3 by guitargod1 (I'm going for the prolific poster awards!) on Monday, 25-Sep-2006 22:48:27

yeah, really good to hear some progress.

## Post 4 by Bryan (This site is so "educational") on Tuesday, 26-Sep-2006 1:49:48

yes, hoping in a few more years, we will be able to see again.

## Post 5 by DRripple (Generic Zoner) on Tuesday, 26-Sep-2006 2:08:26

yehh, Enjoyed the story. Thank You.

## Post 6 by Bryan (This site is so "educational") on Wednesday, 27-Sep-2006 6:38:20

no problem, and pleas if anybody else hears anything, pleas post it so we can see the news,

## Post 7 by Goblin (I have proven to myself and the world that I need mental help) on Thursday, 28-Sep-2006 8:33:54

It is however stem cells are not 100% effective in humans it's very much hit n miss. Plus HESC's, can cause serious rejection disease and runaway cancer, the success rate cannot be judged until some time after. It's a breakthrough but there are two sides to it personally I'd just get on with life and stop running after a cure.

## Post 8 by Bryan (This site is so "educational") on Thursday, 28-Sep-2006 15:40:18

well would not say i'm running, just hoping, i hate being blind but i've learnd to live with it and there is nothing wron with hoping i get my sight back some day, even if it's 1 in a million.

## Post 9 by Blue Velvet (I've got the platinum golden silver bronze poster award.) on Friday, 29-Sep-2006 0:29:42

This is good news for people with certain eye problems. But my blindness is a result of optic nerve damage, so until they can grow new optic nerves I guess I won't get too excited about this. Although I am happy if it works for some.

## Post 10 by Bryan (This site is so "educational") on Friday, 29-Sep-2006 7:02:10

aw, but becky this could be a step in the right direction, if they can grow a new retna, then they will hopefully, be able to grow a, new optic nerves, so don't give up hope, sometimes it's all we got.

## Post 11 by Goblin (I have proven to myself and the world that I need mental help) on Friday, 29-Sep-2006 8:06:28

To contradict myself my partner bladly needs a transplant and if the cure came from stem cells we wouldn't hesistate.and I wasted 10 years of my childhood waiting and hoping for a cure, until eventually I got fed up of being fed up.

## Post 12 by Blue Velvet (I've got the platinum golden silver bronze poster award.) on Friday, 29-Sep-2006 12:10:19

Thanks Zentar, I won't give up hope. After all, hope is why I don't have my useless eye removed and have an artificial one put in, even though it would look better. I keep thinking "What if a month after I have my eye removed, they come up with a miracle cure for glaucoma?"

## Post 13 by Shadow_Cat (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Thursday, 05-Oct-2006 2:14:18

Hi, all! I hate to be the one disagreeing voice here, but I have a few questions. Certainly there are times that being blind is no picnic. But do you all really hate it so much that you're living for a cure? I am totally blind, and happy the way I am. If a cure were invented for retino blastoma, (which would mean transplanting the human eye) I'm not sure I'd take it. Live your life as the blind person you are, not wasting time wishing you were different.
Also, stem cells are a very controversial therapy. I don't think I could take the cure if I knew a child had to die to invent it. No one, espeically a baby, should be deprived of life so that I can see.

## Post 14 by Bryan (This site is so "educational") on Thursday, 05-Oct-2006 8:56:23

ok, the only thing i hate about being blind is relying on someone to help with some the mail, tranzportation, going to a stor and looking around for what i'm not sure what i want, i was on my own when i was 14 and still had some sight, so i guess thats why i have such a hard time with it, and i was taut if you want something done right do it your self, well i can't do that any more, and i really don't have any body that can be there at the right times for me.