Representatives of modern science conduct more and more studies aimed at the possibility of cultivating organs from human stem cells. Often, similar experiments are carried out on experimental animals that acquire humanity. It became known that scientists managed to recreate the tear glands of a person from stem cells, transplanting them experimental mice.
One of the main functions of the human tear gland is the ability to lubricate the eyes, protecting them from drying out. In some kinds of diseases, the lacrimal glands cease to function properly, which can cause eye damage. This may be observed in the dry eye syndrome and SHEGREEN Disease, but also a number of other diseases involuntarily damaged the functions of the tear glands, so scientists are looking for an effective way to restore the tear glands using cultivation and transplantation to patients.
Dr. Rachel Kalmann, an ophthalmologist from the University Medical Center (UMC) in Utrecht in the Netherlands was one of the authors of the new study. The article with the results of scientific work was published in the Cell Stem Cell edition. Dr. Kalmann as a statement to his success noted the following:
"Dysfunction of the lacrimal gland, for example, in the Shegon syndrome, may have serious consequences, including dryness of the eye or even the ulceration of the cornea. In severe cases, this can lead to blindness. "
At the first stage, a group of scientists led by Dr. Kalmann took samples of the tear glands in mice, picking up conditions for the possibility of recreating them in laboratory conditions. At the second stage, experts conducted an experiment with samples of human tear cells, actually grow a similar organ of microscopic cells.
At the final stage, recreated tear glands of a person transplanted experimental mice by fixing success. Scientists are at the initial stage and talk about the start of mass transplant of the tear glands to people are still early, but after a few years, such treatment can be perceived as a norm of modern medicine.