Stem Cells Regenerate Retinas
From Betterhumans, news of research suggesting that adult stem cells can be used to regenerate the damage caused by certain kinds of degenerative blindness. "Stem cells, injected into the eyes of mice with a model of retinitis pigmentosa, lead to the development of blood vessels. Some stem cells were found to incorporate into the vasculature of the retina while others took up residence very close to blood vessels. This provided a protective effect, rescuing and stabilizing the retinal vessels when they would otherwise degenerate." As scientists experiment with adult stem cells - an uncontroversial and thus well supported field - we can expect to see more of these sorts of potential therapies come to light.
Link: http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2004-09-15-2