Fishy Looking

Eyesight often changes as we age, but those living with diabetes face an added challenge – high blood sugar levels can chip away at cells in the retina, leading to diabetic retinopathy and even blindness. Searching for a way to slow or stop the disorder, here scientists use a high-powered microscope to peer into the eye of a zebrafish with a genetic mutation that mimics human diabetes. In among the layers of retinal cells (with their DNA stained blue), the researchers watch as progenitor cells – stem-like cells with the ability to become specialised – react to the damaging sugars. Progenitors destined to become photoreceptors – cells shaped like ‘rods’ and ‘cones’ that are sensitive to light – are able to replenish these vital parts of the retina (the long cells highlighted in green). The aim is to coax similar cells in human eyes to repair or reduce the damage left by diabetic retinopathy.

Written by John Ankers

John Ankers

Writer

A former researcher in systems biology, John is now an online biology tutor and professional coach supporting the wellbeing of scientists and NHS professionals. He's writing, too, of course.

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• Image from work by Nicole Schmitner, Christina Recheis, Jakob Thönig and Robin A. Kimmel
• Institute of Molecular Biology, Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), Leopold Franzens University Innsbruck, Austria
• Image contributed and copyright held by Robin A. Kimmel
• Research published in Cells, November 2021