Scientists from The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have found a potential treatment for aqueous deficiency dry eye (ADDE).
Through a study conducted in animal models, researchers reportedly believe lacrimal glands that have stopped regenerating can be repaired through the injection of a progenitor cell that would help "kick start" regeneration. Using progenitor cells that were poised to become epithelial tissue, the researchers injected them into the lacrimal glands of mouse models of Sjogren’s syndrome. The treated mice reportedly showed a significant increase in tear production, indicating epithelial cell progenitors could repair the lacrimal gland. The researchers now plan to study how long the improved lacrimal glands last after progenitor cell injections.
The study was recently published online in the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine.
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Source: The Scripps Research Institute