A new study found that cells from a dead man's eye can help restore the eyesight of a living blind man.
Researchers from the Institute of Ophthalmology at the University College London developed a treatment which they tested on blind rats. They believe that they can possibly use the same treatment on humans in the future.
For the experiment, researchers extracted a special kind of cell -- Muller glia cell -- from the back of the eye of the dead men. These cells are a type of adult stem cells that are capable of regenerating and changing into specialized cells that may be useful for treating several kinds of eye disorders.
After extraction, the researchers chemically altered the cells into becoming rod cells that can sense light in the retina. Afterwards, they injected the cells into the back of the eyes of the completely blinded rats. The subjects were then subjected to brain scans and results showed that 50 percent of the electrical signals between the brain and the eye were recovered partially restoring their sights.
Researchers hope that once tested on humans, they will also generate the same results because it would mean a lot to visually-impaired individuals.
"They probably wouldn't be able to read, but they could move around and detect a table in room," said co-researcher Astrid Limb, a professor of Retinal Stem Cell Biology and Therapeutics at UCL, to BBC News.
"They would be able to identify a kettle and cup to make a cup of tea. Their quality of life would be so much better, even if they could not read or watch TV," she added.
Preparations for the human stem cell trials have already started. The Muller glia cells will be ready by next week for a clinical grade treatment. However, the human trial could possibly start in more or less three years from now.
This study was published on the Jan. 29 issue of the Stem Cells Translation Medicine.
