New method to turn stem cell into retinal nerve cells discovered
Q. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University have discovered a method to turn human stem cells into _______ cells that transmit visual signals from the eye to the brain.- Published on 02 Dec 15a. Brain nerve
b. Retinal nerve
c. Spinal cord
d. None of the above
ANSWER: Retinal nerve
Death and dysfunction of the retinal never cells cause loss of sight in conditions like glaucoma and multiple sclerosis (MS). Stem cells can now be converted into retinal never cells and this could lead to the development of cell transplant therapies that restore vision in patients with glaucoma and MS. Through a genome editing laboratory tool, investigators inserted a fluorescent protein gene into the stem cells’ DNA using a method called called fluorescence-activated cell sorting to separate newly differentiated retinal ganglion (nerve) cells from a mixture of different cells into a highly purified cell population for the study.
