Self-organizing optic-cup morphogenesis in three-dimensional culture

NATURE ^ | April 6, 2011 | Mototsugu Eiraku,1, 2 Nozomu Takata,1 Hiroki Ishibashi,3 Masako Kawada,1 Eriko Sakakura,1, 2 Satoru

[muawiyah]

Here we report the dynamic, autonomous formation of the optic cup (retinal primordium) structure from a three-dimensional culture of mouse embryonic stem cell aggregates.

[muawiyah]

In England alone there are over 1 million people with damaged retinas.

There are millions more in America ~ and huge multiples of that worldwide.

You have but one eye to give, and then you are blind.

While recovering from three retinal surgeries I came to the conclusion that what I need most is a NEW RETINA, glial cells and all. Given the fact that an awful lot of existing retinal problems are a consequence of histo-incompatibilities and other negative involvement with the immune system, it's highly likely any practical application of this process will be based on use of the patient's own stemcells.

Somehow it's surprising that the critical component in the eye ~ the retina ~ is actually SELF ORGANIZING ~ just pour some secret elixer (chemicals) on some stem cells and BINGO, new retina!

This discovery may well be one of the most important in human history.

[ClearCase_guy]

[JoeProBono]

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks muawiyah.

[the invisib1e hand]

Idunno is there such a thing as two-dimensional culture? ...counting down until the know-it-alls appear...

[rmlew]

Idunno is there such a thing as two-dimensional culture? ...counting down until the know-it-alls appear...
Depends what you mean. Agar plates used to cultivate bacteria are planes, so this would be an example of a "two-dimensional culture". Of course, there is a volume of agam, as the agar has a depth. But that is not what is meant. And we all live in multi-dimensions, but are unable to apprehend the true scale and scope of these. Go read Flatland
(Good lord, I'm back in high school. I'm thinking of a book I read for Sophomore Geometry and the Advanced Biology I took senior year. Over lunch, I read an article written by the still hotter older-sister of my Junior-year gf)

[decimon]

Same in plainer English: The self-made eye: Formation of optic cup from ES cells

And this for AMD: Vision loss in eye disease slowed using novel encapsulated cell therapy

[the invisib1e hand]

And we all live in multi-dimensions

some more than others, but that's beside your point, I think.

[dodger]

KING CRIMSON was and remains THE BEST!

[the invisib1e hand]

And we all live in multi-dimensions

some more than others, but that's beside your point, I think.

[muawiyah]

Only modestly plainer ~ HS ~ but there's more to the picture in that first piece of yours than the one I cited from NATURE.

I caught tadpole larvae once ~ fresh from the egg. Watched those eyeballs grow ~ day by day by day ~ and into the wee hours of the morning.

It was an absolutely amazing display. And here we have some folks who've done without the larvae and the eyeball itself, and gone straight to the retina!

It's still an amazing display ~ and all of that power is built into each and every one of our cells. It's a wonder we don't have broad electromagnetic spectrum light receptors from head to toe rather than just in our shins, foreheads, eyeballs, etc.