Retina on the grid
Doctors have created a "matrix" for the regeneration of the retina
Sergey Vasiliev, Naked Science
Retinal degradation (macular degeneration) is one of the main causes of weakening and loss of vision, including with age. This process is associated with the death of photoreceptor cells, so one of the promising approaches to the treatment of such diseases is to start their regeneration by obtaining new cells from stem cells. A big step in this direction was made by scientists from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, whose article was published in the journal Science Advances (Lee et al., Ultrathin micromolded 3D scaffolds for high-density photoreceptor layer reconstruction).
The structure of the new substrate under the microscope. Drawings from the press release of the Micro-molded ‘ice cube tray’ scaffold is the next step in returning sight to injured retinas.
However, it is not enough to grow new photoreceptors: it is necessary to obtain a complete retinal tissue with its complex structure. For this purpose, special substrates are used – materials that give the cells support and allow them to be properly directed and distributed in space. The new substrate is made of durable, but biocompatible and biodegradable polyglycerolsebacinate, which breaks down in the body in a few months.
Its structure consists of individual cubic "pixels", like a camera matrix, in which photoreceptors are placed in separate "cells". Scientists have managed to achieve the correct location of about 300 thousand individual cells in it. In addition, cylindrical pores are provided on the opposite side of the substrate. Due to this, cells after transplantation can form connections with underlying tissues.
Photoreceptors grown in the "pixels" of the substrate.
The tests of the new system on cellular structures were successful, and now scientists plan to switch to animal testing. "In general, the results are very inspiring and important," says Zhenqiang Ma, one of the authors of the work. – As soon as we figured out the technology of obtaining (substrate. – Editor's note), the possibility of mass production has become obvious, and commercialization should be easy."
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