New research out of Krembil Research Institute in Toronto has found photoreceptor cells transplanted into donor cells do not actually enter the recipient retina, but rather just position themselves next to it, resulting in a challenge to the current prevailing view of research concerning transplantation of healthy photoreceptors into blind animal models.
According to researchers, changes in technology over the past 10 years has resulted in new tools and approaches allowing them to assess what happens to transplanted photoreceptors. In the past, it was believed the transplanted photoreceptor cells were brought into the recipient retina through the migration of donor cells, helping to recover vision. Now Krembil researchers have found the transplanted cells position themselves next to the recipient retina, never entering nor establishing a connection within the tissue.
Researchers hope their findings will help improve the cell transplantation approach, and lead to the development of more effective and safe therapies.
The findings were recently published in the journal Stem Cells.
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Source: Krembil Research Institute