Articles tagged with Retina
Engineers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have created a new handheld scanner that enables primary care physicians to image various sites in 3-D, including bacterial colonies and retinas. The device uses optical coherence tomography (OCT) technology to produce real-time images.
A study by Columbia University ophthalmologists and stem cell researchers found that induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells can improve the vision of blind mice, suggesting a potential treatment for macular degeneration. The iPS cells were derived from adult human skin cells and functioned as normal retina cells in the animals' old age.
Researchers used magnetic particles to target transplanted stem cells to specific retinal locations, improving biochemical changes in the target tissue. Magnetic targeting also enhanced cell retention in a rat model of ischemia/reperfusion injury by over five-fold.
Researchers deciphered the neural code of a mouse retina and created a novel prosthetic device that restores normal vision. The device uses a chip to convert light patterns into electrical impulses, which are then sent to the brain via light-sensitive proteins.
Researchers have identified a compound that could prevent damage to the retina in diabetic retinopathy by targeting two important pathways: inflammation and blood vessel weakening. The finding is promising for developing a new therapy.
A team of scientists has discovered a chemical that temporarily restores some vision to blind mice by making normally 'blind' cells sensitive to light. The approach holds promise for treating humans with degenerative blindness, including retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration.
Researchers found that insulin-like growth factor (IGF1) enhances migration and integration of photoreceptor cells into the adult mouse retina by manipulating the retinal recipient microenvironment. This study suggests a potential novel strategy for retinal repair using stem cell replacement therapy.
Sher's innovative system enables groundbreaking studies on vision and applications for improving treatment of retinal diseases. He plans to monitor the simultaneous activity of hundreds of neurons in laser-treated retinal tissue to determine whether restored circuits are fully functional.
Researchers at the University of Strathclyde and Stanford University have developed a prosthetic retina that can restore sight to patients with age-related macular degeneration. The device uses video goggles to deliver energy and images directly to the eye, eliminating the need for complex surgery.
A new retinal prosthesis uses tiny solar-panel-like cells and near-infrared light to stimulate photoreceptor cells and activate neurons in the retina. This device aims to help people suffering from retinal degenerative diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa.
Positive results from animal models and initial clinical trial results show promise for retinal gene therapy to treat inherited diseases. Researchers have developed efficient and safe viral delivery systems to introduce therapeutic genes into photoreceptor cells.
A serendipitous accident in shipping a donated human retina led to the discovery of a previously undetected mechanism causing choroidal neovascularization, a leading cause of vision loss. Researchers found that adhesion defects play a crucial role in maintaining the retina's structure and preventing blood vessel invasion.
Scientists at University College London have successfully transplanted photoreceptors into adult mice with degenerate retinas, restoring their vision. The study suggests that this approach could lead to effective treatments for thousands of people affected by degenerative eye disorders.
The USPTO awarded the 8-millionth patent for a medical device that bypasses damaged retina, helping blind patients see. Dr. Ram R. Shukla explains the process of patenting and its importance for innovation.
A study published in Neurology found that women with mild retinopathy had lower scores on cognitive tests and more brain damage than those without the condition. The researchers suggest that eye screening could be a simple way to identify people at risk of brain health issues.
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have created early retina structures containing proliferating neuroretinal progenitor cells using induced pluripotent stem cells derived from human blood. The structures showed the capacity to form layers of cells, which possessed the machinery to communicate information.
The Elisabeth Severance Prentiss Foundation has donated $5 million to the University Hospitals Eye Institute to support various programs, including the Center for Retina and Macular Disease. The gift will help launch a new phase of expansion and enhancement of facilities and equipment across the UH system.
A study published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine suggests that grapes can provide more antioxidant protection for the eyes than lutein, a common supplement. Grapes were found to offer dramatic protection against oxidative damage of the retina and prevent blindness in mice consuming them.
Researchers at Indiana University have developed a method to measure microscopic changes in cone cells using optical coherence tomography (OCT) phase differences. They found the outer segments of cone cells grow at a rate of about 150 nanometers per hour, which is significantly faster than human hair growth.
Researchers have developed an intracellular, sustained-release drug delivery system using nanoparticles called dendrimers, targeting neuroinflammation in the retina. The treatment protects vision by preventing injury to photoreceptors and reduces neuroinflammation, providing potential relief for millions of patients worldwide.
Researchers at Wayne State University, Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins have developed a targeted drug delivery system using nanoparticles called dendrimers. This system reduced neuroinflammation in the retina and protected vision by preventing injury to photoreceptors.
A research group at Brown University has sequenced the entire transcriptome of the mouse neural retina, finding that disease genes are disproportionately highly expressed and have unique sequences. This study provides new insights into the genetic nature of neural diseases.
Researchers discovered evidence of visual ambiguity and rivalry in an unrecognized reference frame, challenging the understanding of how our brains process visual information. The study found that object-frame rivalry is a competing process to spatial rivalry, with similar brain regions and processes involved.
A lower glycemic index diet has been shown to delay the development of age-related retinal lesions in mice, which are similar to those seen in Age-Related Macular Degeneration. The study found that mice on a lower GI diet had fewer and less-severe lesions than those on a higher GI diet.
A Japanese study reveals that the brain, not the eye, produces afterimage illusions in complementary shapes. The research found that the brain's shape-processing visual cortex is responsible for creating these illusory shapes, which were observed in a novel afterimage illusion.
University of Pennsylvania researchers have identified a gene responsible for early retinal degeneration, a disease causing blindness in dogs. The study suggests that this gene may be involved in the control of photoreceptor cell division, potentially leading to the development of therapies to regenerate retinal cells and restore vision.
Researchers discovered that defective eye cells in a rare disease lead to photoreceptor cell failure, causing sight loss. The study provides a target for treatment and may help understand broader retinal degenerative diseases.
Researchers found that photoreceptor cells in the retina had a defective phagocytosis process, leading to decreased rod and cone renewal. This discovery could lead to therapeutic agents for blinding diseases related to retinal cell renewal.
A Scripps Research scientist has identified the critical role of a night blindness gene in facilitating rapid signal transmission in the eye's initial response to light. This discovery sheds light on the molecular mechanisms underlying low-light vision, highlighting the importance of nyctalopin in coordinating the assembly and precise ...
A study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry reveals that a protein called globin E plays a crucial role in supplying oxygen to the avian retina. This finding helps explain how birds evolved large eyes without a dense network of ocular capillaries, and sheds light on the unique properties of the avian eye.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed a new gene vector, AAV8, that delivers genes to photoreceptor cells more efficiently and safely than a previously used vector, AAV2. The study demonstrates potential for treating eye diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa.
A patient who was blind in his right eye for 55 years had functional vision restored after surgery at The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary. The treatment involved monoclonal antibody therapy and retinal reattachment surgery, successfully improving the patient's vision to a distance of five meters.
Researchers successfully imaged rod photoreceptors in the living human eye for the first time, revealing cellular structure with unprecedented detail. This breakthrough enables earlier diagnosis and treatment of degenerative eye disorders, potentially leading to more effective sight-saving interventions.
Two new studies show that light exposure enhances the brain's ability to organize nerve endings from each eye, leading to improved sorting of visual signals. Researchers discovered that a specific type of light-sensitive cell plays a crucial role in this process.
Researchers at the University of Sheffield found that deaf people's retinas develop differently to capture more peripheral visual information, enabling them to see further into the periphery. This challenge previous thinking on how visual processing works and has implications for improving visual care for deaf people.
Researchers discovered a novel molecular pathway used by myeloid cells to regulate blood vessel patterning in the developing retina. The pathway, involving the Wnt protein signaling network, has potential as a therapeutic option for fighting retinal diseases and cancers.
New studies at UCSB reveal wide-ranging variability in retinal neurons among individuals, with potential causal genes identified for cone photoreceptor production. The research contributes to a fuller understanding of retina development and its significance in vision research.
Two teams from Queen's University Belfast are working on different approaches to cure Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) in premature babies. The first team aims to tackle the disease at an early stage, while the second team investigates using stem cells from umbilical cords to repair damaged eyes.
Researchers discovered that the eye's horizontal cells send both negative and positive feedback to photoreceptors, enhancing contrast while preserving faint detail. This new mechanism, distinct from electrical signals, allows the eye to detect small, faint spots near edges.
Researchers discovered that the human eye's horizontal cells boost photoreceptor signals while preserving contrast, allowing for sharper images with less sacrifice of shadow detail. This positive feedback mechanism is found across vertebrates and is thought to be responsible for the eye's ability to detect faint details near edges.
Scientists have discovered that chitons can see objects overhead using eye lenses made of aragonite, a type of rock. This unique feature allows them to detect potential predators and defend against being eaten.
Researchers have successfully isolated and transplanted pig stem cells, providing a closer anatomical match to human retinas. This breakthrough opens up new avenues for studying degenerative conditions and repairing damaged retina tissue.
A phase 2 clinical trial demonstrates the benefit of a neurotrophic factor to treat geographic atrophy, a severe form of age-related macular degeneration. The therapy, which delivers ciliary neurotrophic factor using encapsulated cell therapy, slowed vision loss and stabilized vision in patients with high-dose treatment.
Researchers at the Salk Institute have developed a mathematical framework to understand how neurons in the retina encode visual information. The study reveals that only information about pairs of temporal stimulus patterns is relayed to the brain, with higher-order combinations being less important than previously thought.
Sharks lack color vision due to having only one type of long-wavelength-sensitive cone cell in their retina. This finding may help prevent shark attacks and improve fishing gear design.
Immune cells called macrophages infiltrate mouse retina after eye injury and dampen inflammation, protecting retinal ganglion cells from death. Macrophage arrival also awakens dormant neural progenitor cells.
Early data suggests molecular medicine can restore normal retina architecture and improve visual function in severe cases of macular degeneration. Researchers are now calling for larger human trials to validate the approach's reliability and safety.
Researchers discovered that melanopsin-expressing retinal ganglion cells contribute to conventional image-forming vision, particularly brightness perception. This finding suggests these cells could support vision in people with advanced retinal degeneration.
Scientists are exploring the therapeutic potential of (+)- pentazocine in treating diabetic retinopathy. The study aims to determine if the drug can block or promote sigma receptor action and improve retinal health in patients. Researchers also want to know if the drug is effective when given later in the disease process.
Researchers found that low-level lead exposure during gestation increases retinal progenitor cell proliferation and rod photoreceptor and bipolar cell neurogenesis in mice. This discovery could potentially treat retinal degenerations and blindness by transforming human embryonic retinal stem cells into neurons.
Researchers at the Salk Institute mapped the neuronal circuitry connecting photoreceptors with retinal ganglion cells, revealing computations in individual neurons and shedding light on the neural code used by the retina. The study aimed to improve retinal implants and understand visual processing.
Penn researchers found retinal ganglion cells responding to darkness are more numerous and clustered than those seeing light, reflecting the natural world's darker spots. This suggests brain separation of retinal circuitry into off and on mosaics, allowing for structural adaptation to natural scenes.
The Six3 gene plays a pivotal role in the developing nervous system as a key regulator of the Wnt family of signaling proteins. Inhibiting Six3 disrupts the normal formation of the retina, highlighting its essential function.
Researchers have developed a non-invasive imaging tool to study the retina of live birds of prey, producing detailed images for the first time in history. The new spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) system shows unprecedented three-dimensional information about the retina's layers and structure.
Researchers found that resveratrol inhibits formation of damaging blood vessels in the eye, a potential preventive therapy for blinding diseases. The compound's novel pathway could become a new target for therapies for eye disease and other problems related to abnormal angiogenesis.
Researchers at Medical College of Georgia are investigating a link between hemochromatosis and the wet form of macular degeneration. They suspect that excessive iron levels accelerate aging in the eyes, leading to increased risk of vision loss.
Scientists discovered characteristic amyloid plaques in human retinas and developed a noninvasive optical imaging technique to detect retinal plaques in live laboratory mice. The study suggests the possibility of early noninvasive diagnosis and monitoring of Alzheimer's disease through retinal imaging.
Scientists at UCI created an eight-layer, early-stage retina from human embryonic stem cells, a complex tissue structure that could lead to transplant-ready retinas for treating eye disorders. The breakthrough uses differentiation technique to create multiple cell types necessary for the retina, mimicking early-stage retinal development.
Research confirms green tea catechins penetrate eye tissues, potentially protecting against glaucoma and other eye diseases. The study, published in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, found that these antioxidants absorbed by the eyes reduced oxidative stress for up to 20 hours.
A Kansas State University researcher is studying the potential of Chinese wolfberries to improve damage to the retina caused by type-2 diabetes. The findings show that the fruit can lower oxidative stress, protecting the eye and potentially preventing age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.