Scientists Make Step Towards 'Reversing Death' With Donor Eyes
Science/Medical/Technology
Monday 16th, May 2022
Eyes which were taken from a donor five hours after death responded to light stimulus with electrical activity only previously seen or recording in a living person.
Lead author, Dr. Fatima Abbas of the Moran Eye Centre as the University of Utah said, "We were able to wake up photoreceptor cells in the human macula, which is the part of the retina responsible for our central vision and our ability to see fine detail and colour.".
"In eyes obtained up to five hours after an organ donor’s death, these cells responded to bright light, coloured lights and even very dim flashes of light."
Brain death is when an individual is no longer able to survive without external support, brain death is considered irreversible by current medical standards.
The study was published in the journal Nature, this follows on from Yale University's research into trying to bring dad pig brains 'back to life' in 2019. Scientists were able to switch on the blood circulation of large organs four hours after the pigs had been slaughtered. But with the pig the researchers were unable to create communication between neurons.
Professor Anne Hanneken of Scripps Research Associate said, "Until now, it hasn’t been possible to get the cells in all of the different layers of the central retina to communicate with each other the way they normally do in a living retina".
"Going forward, we’ll be able to use this approach to develop treatments to improve vision and light signalling in eyes with macular diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration."
Lead author, Dr. Fatima Abbas of the Moran Eye Centre as the University of Utah said, "We were able to wake up photoreceptor cells in the human macula, which is the part of the retina responsible for our central vision and our ability to see fine detail and colour.".
"In eyes obtained up to five hours after an organ donor’s death, these cells responded to bright light, coloured lights and even very dim flashes of light."
Brain death is when an individual is no longer able to survive without external support, brain death is considered irreversible by current medical standards.
The study was published in the journal Nature, this follows on from Yale University's research into trying to bring dad pig brains 'back to life' in 2019. Scientists were able to switch on the blood circulation of large organs four hours after the pigs had been slaughtered. But with the pig the researchers were unable to create communication between neurons.
Professor Anne Hanneken of Scripps Research Associate said, "Until now, it hasn’t been possible to get the cells in all of the different layers of the central retina to communicate with each other the way they normally do in a living retina".
"Going forward, we’ll be able to use this approach to develop treatments to improve vision and light signalling in eyes with macular diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration."
