Researchers rejoice over revolutionary retinal transplant

A Japanese woman suffering from macular degeneration was the recipient of a successful retinal transplant using her own stem cells. Using skin cells scraped from the woman's arm, doctor's grew the replacement retina in a petri dish. The success of this surgery demonstrates the ability of creating genetically identical replacement tissue from a patient's own skin cells. A month after the surgery and the Japanese woman is doing well and her implant is intact. Five other patients are scheduled for retinal transplants within the next few months. Scientists are very encouraged by the success thus far of the retinal transplant. If the transplant proves to be both safe and effective, it could be made widely available by the year 2020.*