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Since their introduction to the lab, pluripotent stem cells have gone from research tool to therapeutic, but the journey has been rocky.

Since The Scientist published its first issue in October 1986, life-science research has transformed from a manual and often tedious task to a high-tech, largely automated process of unprecedented efficiency.

Researchers inject retinal support cells derived from human embryonic stem cells into the eyes of four men with macular degeneration, bolstering evidence of the experimental treatment’s safety.

A handful of stem cell therapeutics for vision disorders are showing promise in early-stage trials, and still more are in development. But there’s a long road to travel before patients see real benefit.
 

See the striking images behind the quest to develop stem cell therapeutics for vision disorders.

Researchers claim to have successfully transformed stem cells into viable mouse oocytes that produced healthy, fertile pups.

Preliminary data from human embryonic stem cell trials for two degenerative eye disorders are promising, but challenges remain for more complex tissues.