Cross-section of a retinal organoid, showing hybrid cells (green) engrafting onto the tissue. Red fluorescence indicates the activity of new ganglions being formed.
Credit: Sergi Bonilla/Lancet eBioMedicine
Fusing human retinal cells with adult stem cells could be a potential therapeutic strategy to treat retinal damage and visual impairment, according to the findings of a new study published in the journal eBioMedicine. The hybrid cells act by awakening the regenerative potential of human retinal tissue, previously only thought to be the preserve of cold-blood vertebrates.
Cell fusion events – the combination of two different cells into one single entity – are known to be a possible mechanism contributing to tissue regeneration. Though rare in humans, the phenomenon has been consistently detected in the liver, brain, and gastrointestinal tract.
A team led by ICREA Research Professor Pia Cosma at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona and funded by Fundació “la Caixa” has now found that cell fusion events also take place in the human retina.
The researchers tested whether cell fusion events could differentiate into cells that turn into neurons, which would show potential for tissue regeneration. The team fused Müller glia, cells that play a secondary but important role in maintaining the structure and function of the retina, with adult stem cells derived from human adipose tissue or bone marrow.
“We were able to carry out cell fusion in vitro, creating hybrid cells. Importantly, the process was more efficient in the presence of a chemical signal transmitted from the retina in response to damage, resulting in rates of hybridisation increasing twofold. This gave us an important clue for the role of cell fusion in the retina,” says Sergi Bonilla, postdoctoral researcher at the CRG at the time of publication and first author of the study.
The hybrid cells were injected into a growing retinal organoid, a model that closely resembles the function of the human retina. The researchers found that the hybrid cells successfully engrafted into the tissue and differentiated into cells that closely resemble ganglion cells, a type of neuron essential for vision.
“Our findings are important because they show that the Müller Glia in the human retina have the potential to regenerate neurons,” says Pia Cosma. “Salamanders and fish can repair damage caused to the retina thanks to their Müller glia, which differentiate into neurons that rescue or replace damaged neurons. Mammalian Müller glia have lost this regenerative capacity, which means retinal damage or degradation can lead to visual impairment for life. Our findings bring us one step closer to recovering this ability.”
The authors caution that much work remains to be done before the development of any potential treatments. One of the next steps is understanding why hybrid cells – with four complete sets of chromosomes – don’t result in chromosomal instability and cancer development. The authors of the study believe the retina may have a mechanism regulating chromosome segregation similar to the liver, which contains tetraploid cells that act as a genetic reservoir, undergoing mitosis in response to stress and injury.
Original Article: Cell fusion ‘awakens’ regenerative potential of human retina
More from: Centre for Genomic Regulation | Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia
The Latest Updates from Bing News & Google News
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Cell fusion
- Stellar Blade: How To Move The Laser Reflectors To Overload The Generator At The Center
Not only math-related riddles, Stellar Blade also includes other mind-teasers like the Laser Reflectors puzzle.
- All Matrix 11 Upgrades and Enhancements
During Eve's adventure through each of Stellar Blade's worlds, she'll come across various upgrades and enhancements for her skills. This guide ...
- Fallout 4 Tesla Cannon And Best Of Three Quest Guide
One of the new weapons that arrived with the next-generation update in Fallout 4 is the Tesla Cannon, a powerful Fusion Cell gun that shocks any enemy unfortunate enough to get in its way. The primary ...
- Newly Discovered Mechanism Explains How Pathogens Avoid the Immune System
As a result, Burkholderia bacteria can spread through cell-to-cell fusion and directly move from one to another using T6SS. This newly discovered mechanism provides evidence for the aggressive nature ...
- Supercomputer Simulation Unveils New Insights Into Membrane Fusion
An intricate simulation performed by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers using one of the world’s most powerful supercomputers sheds new light on how proteins called SNAREs cause biological ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Cell fusion
[google_news title=”” keyword=”cell fusion” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Retina regeneration
- Nanocomposites for Bone Tissue Regeneration
Nanocomposites based on bioceramics and biodegradable polymers have attracted much attention for bone tissue regeneration because of the excellent combination of bioactivity and osteoconductivity ...
- Thistle extract accelerates nerve regeneration by up to 29%
Nature has again proven effective in treating health conditions, this time nerve injury. According to a new study, a compound found in the blessed thistle plant accelerates the regeneration of damaged ...
- Overview of Retinal Artery Occlusion
A retinal artery occlusion is a blockage in one of the blood vessels that supplies your retina with blood. It usually occurs suddenly and can cause vision loss without causing pain. A retinal ...
- Deciphering Proteins and their Functions in the Regenerating Retina
Cytoskeletal remodeling of the actin and microtubule skeleton is necessary for growth-cone formation, the initial step in regeneration. In the retina, problems of regeneration are growth-cone ...
- NEI applies artificial intelligence to OCT for retinal imaging
Researchers at the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the US National Institutes of Health, have applied a particular artificial intelligence approach to OCT imaging of the retina. The research, ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Retina regeneration
[google_news title=”” keyword=”retina regeneration” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]