Scientists have generated accurate replications of human retinas in culture that can be used to pinpoint the specific types of cells affected by genetic eye diseases. The culmination of a six-year effort, this achievement will accelerate progress in developing new therapies and was reported today in Cell by a team led by Botond Roska at the Institute for Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel (IOB) and collaborators at the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research.
The transcriptional coregulator Swi-independent 3—or Sin3—switches on and off the genes that drive crucial biological processes during prenatal development, including cellular differentiation, maturation, survival, metabolism, and stress responses. Earlier studies reported the postnatal presence of Sin3 in the pancreas, yet its functional attributes were poorly understood.
Many humans live to see their 70s and 80s, some even reach 100 years old. But life is much shorter for our closest animal relatives. Chimpanzees, for example, rarely make it past age 50, despite sharing almost 99% of our genetic code.
Alcoholic cirrhosis can happen after years of drinking too much alcohol. According to the researchers, discovering more about this illness couldn't come at a more important time.
Selecting treatments according to genetic differences could help children and teenagers with asthma, according to research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress.
