The first synthetic, soft tissue retina developed by Oxford
University researchers could offer fresh hope to visually impaired
people. Until now, artificial retinas have only been made from hard,
rigid materials. The new research is the first to successfully use
biological, synthetic tissues, developed in a laboratory environment.
The study could revolutionise the bionic implant industry and the
development of new, less invasive technologies that more closely
resemble human body tissues, helping to treat degenerative eye
conditions such as retinitis pigmentosa. Just as photography depends on
camera pixels reacting to light, vision relies on the retina performing
the same function.
The retina sits at the back of the human eye, and contains protein
cells that convert light into electrical signals that travel through the
nervous system, triggering a response from the brain, ultimately
building a picture of the scene being viewed.
Vanessa Restrepo-Schild led the team at Oxford University in the UK
which developed the synthetic, double layered retina which closely
mimics the natural human retinal process. The retina replica consists of
soft water droplets (hydrogels) and biological cell membrane proteins.
Designed like a camera, the cells act as pixels, detecting and reacting
to light to create a grey scale image.
“The synthetic material can generate electrical signals, which
stimulate the neurons at the back of our eye just like the original
retina,” said Restrepo-Schild.The study, published in the journal
Scientific Reports, shows that unlike existing artificial retinal
implants, the cell-cultures are created from natural, biodegradable
materials and do not contain foreign bodies or living entities.
The implant is less invasive than a mechanical devise, and is less
likely to have an adverse reaction on the body.”The human eye is
incredibly sensitive, which is why foreign bodies like metal retinal
implants can be so damaging, leading to inflammation and/or scarring.
“But a biological synthetic implant is soft and water based, so much
more friendly to the eye environment,” Restrepo-Schild added.
At present the synthetic retina has only been tested in laboratory
conditions, and researchers want to explore potential uses with living
tissues. The next step is vital in demonstrating how the material
performs as a bionic implant, researchers said. They have filed a patent
for the technology and the next phase of the work will see the Oxford
team expand the replica’s function to include recognising different
colours. Working with a much larger replica, the team will test the
material’s ability to recognise different colours and potentially even
shapes and symbols. Further research will expand to include animal
testing and then a series of clinical trials in humans.
this is only for your
information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines,
exercises and so on.
https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement
Labels: degenerative diseases, less invasive, retina, retinitis pigmentosa (RP), soft, synthetic, visually impaired, water based
