UW–Madison: UW Study Finds Photoreceptor Cells From Retinal Organoids Can Replicate Key Function Of Vision

Press release from the University of Wisconsin-Madison:

February 2, 2022

These organoid cone photoreceptors – which are laboratory-produced versions of light-responsive eye tissue – are similar to cones in the primate fovea, a specialized area of the eye responsible for high-definition vision.

It’s the first time that cone photoreceptors derived from stem cells exhibited the ability to respond to light and the results, recently published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, could unlock new therapeutic avenues for treating vision loss. Retinal organoids could eventually serve as replacement sources for human photoreceptor cells.

This press release was produced by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The views expressed here are the author’s own.