科学家＂打印＂出新眼部细胞

开始神话

--近年来许多研究团队都在尝试利用不同方法来修饰视网膜细胞以达到治疗失明的目的。最近来自英国剑桥大学的研究团队发表了一项研究成果，他们在动物体上实现了＂打印＂视网膜细胞的想法，这一成果将可以使失明患者利用自身细胞重见光明。他们利用3D打印机成功打印出了成年小鼠视网膜上的神经节细胞和神经胶质细胞。这两种细胞都在视网膜象大脑传递信息中扮演重要角色。负责这项研究的Prof Keith Martin和Dr Barbara Lorber表示，一直以来视网膜处神经细胞的丧失是造成失明的主要病因之一，而这项研究首次证明了利用3D打印机来打印视网膜处成熟神经元细胞的可能性，这为今后治疗因神经细胞功能丧失而引起的失明有重要借鉴意义。当然，两人同时还承认，这一成果还处于非常早期的研究阶段，距能够将其临床化还有很长的路要走。

详细英文报道：

Many teams are researching different ways to repair the sight-giving cells of the retina

Scientists say they have been able to successfully print new eye cells that could be used to treat sight loss.

The proof-of-principle work in the journal Biofabrication was carried out using animal cells.

The Cambridge University team says it paves the way for grow-your-own therapies for people with damage to the light-sensitive layer of tissue at back of the eye - the retina.

More tests are needed before human trials can begin.

At the moment the results are preliminary and show that an inkjet printer can be used to print two types of cells from the retina of adult rats―ganglion cells and glial cells.

These are the cells that transmit information from the eye to certain parts of the brain, and provide support and protection for neurons.

The printed cells remained healthy and retained their ability to survive and grow in culture.

Retinal repair

Co-authors of the study Prof Keith Martin and Dr Barbara Lorber, from the John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair at the University of Cambridge, said: "The loss of nerve cells in the retina is a feature of many blinding eye diseases. The retina is an exquisitely organised structure where the precise arrangement of cells in relation to one another is critical for effective visual function.

The retina sits at the back of the eye

"Our study has shown, for the first time, that cells derived from the mature central nervous system, the eye, can be printed using a piezoelectric inkjet printer. Although our results are preliminary and much more work is still required, the aim is to develop this technology for use in retinal repair in the future."

They now plan to attempt to print other types of retinal cells, including the light-sensitive photoreceptors - rods and cones.

Scientists have already been able to using stem cell transplants.

And there is promising work into implants in patients.

Clara Eaglen, of the RNIB, said: "Clearly it's still at a very early stage and further research is needed to develop this technology for use in repairing the retina in humans.

"The key to this research, once the technology has moved on, will be how much useful vision is restored.

"Even a small bit of sight can make a real difference, for some people it could be the difference between leaving the house on their own or not.

"It could help boost people's confidence and in turn their independence."

Prof Jim Bainbridge of London's Moorfields Eye Hospital said: "The finding that eye cells can survive the printing process suggests the exciting possibility that this technique could be used in the future to create organised tissues for regeneration of the eye and restoration of sight.

"Blindness is commonly caused by degeneration of nerve cells in the eye. In recent years there has been substantial progress towards the development of new treatments involving cell transplantation."

开始神话

2013年12月23日讯