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About inherited sight loss

Many inherited sight loss conditions occur when cells in the retina, which is the light-sensitive region at the back of the eye, deteriorate in an unpredictable way. These conditions are often referred to as inherited retinal dystrophies.

x-linked inheritance

X-linked inheritance means that the faulty gene is located on the X chromosome, the larger of the two sex chromosomes.

A high power image showing the position of a single transplanted photoreceptor cell (green) making new connections with bipolar cells in the recipient retina (cyan).

Stem cells

Stem cells are a special type of cell, which under the right conditions can be encouraged to grow into any other type of cell in the body, including retinal cells (rods, cones and retinal pigment epithelial cells).

A DNA spiral with a piece removed being held by tweezers

Genetics and gene therapy

When we talk about gene therapy we are usually referring to use of a harmless virus, called a vector, to deliver a normal copy of a defective gene into the cells of the eye.

jCyte update

In spring 2021, the US company jCyte announced detailed results from their successful phase 2b clinical trial of jCell, a stem cell-based treatment for RP.