Can Fetal Cells Cure Blindness?Scientists in India have injected cells from the eyes of aborted a·bort v. a·bort·ed, a·bort·ing, a·borts v.intr. 1. To give birth prematurely or before term; miscarry. 2. To cease growth before full development or maturation. 3. fetuses into the eyes of people with retinitis pigmentosa Retinitis Pigmentosa Definition Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) refers to a group of inherited disorders that slowly lead to blindness due to abnormalities of the photoreceptors (primarily the rods) in the retina. , the most common inherited cause of blindness. Eight patients whose vision had deteriorated to the point where they could only perceive the difference between light and dark were selected. Working on one eye of each patient, the surgeons made a small incision incision /in·ci·sion/ (in-sizh´un) 1. a cut or a wound made by cutting with a sharp instrument.incis´ional 2. the act of cutting. in·ci·sion n. 1. in the retina and injected about 1 million fetal eye cells into the space beneath the incision. Their hope was that the fetal eye cells, which had yet to differentiate into any one cell type, would develop predominantly into new photoreceptors Photoreceptors Specialized nerve cells (rods and cones) in the retina that are responsible for vision. Mentioned in: Macular Degeneration and establish new retinal retinal /ret·i·nal/ (ret´i-n'l) 1. pertaining to the retina. 2. the aldehyde of retinol, derived from absorbed dietary carotenoids or esters of retinol and having vitamin A activity. connections. Five of the first eight patients who received the fetal cells have experienced discernible, though limited, improvement in vision. Other researchers have expressed skepticism, saying that the trial should have included an independent evaluation of each patient's vision before and after the surgery. -- Science News, 11/23/96 |
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