Flexible adult stem cells right in your eye

Someday, patients in need of neural stem cells may be able to get them from their own eyes. Researchers have identified central nervous system adult stem cells in a single layer of cells at the back of the eye. The cell layer, known as the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), supports photoreceptors in the retina. The new study shows that the RPE also houses self-renewing stem cells that can produce actively growing cultures when placed in the right conditions. They can also be coaxed into forming other types of cells. While not all of the RPE cells have this regenerative potential, about 10 percent of them do, providing an exciting line of future research into their regenerative properties.