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Category: special senses

Can we really replace an damaged iris with a silicone one in the human eye?

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. tissue chapter – characteristics and locations of smooth muscle
  2. special senses chapter – structures inside the eyeball
  3. special senses chapter – location of the iris and the action of smooth muscle to change pupil diameter

The news item: Recently, the following report appeared online:

Independence woman regains sight after first-of-its-kind surgery in Missouri

In 2010, Jennifer Sanders suffered an orbital globe rupture which destroyed 95% of the iris in her right eye.

The article states that a woman whose eye ruptured in an accident suffered from poor vision and light sensitivity because of a destroyed iris. An artificial iris implanted into her eye resulted in much improved vision.

So, Why Do I Care??  In addition to trauma-caused damage of the iris, about 1% of cataract surgeries damage the iris, and there is a developmental disorder called aniridia that results in the underdevelopment of the iris. Thus, there are tens of thousands of people who suffer from the absence or malfunctioning of the iris. Poor vision affects the ability to learn in school, to get a job, to drive a car, among other things, so it is important to seek out solutions for these conditions.

Plain English, Please!!!  First, let’s talk about the location and function of the iris. The iris is a flat, thin ring inside the eye. For the shape just think about a donut that somebody sat on. The forward-looking surface of the “flattened donut” is the visible, colored part of the iris; this gives us the color of the eye. The backward-looking surface of the iris is made up of a thin layer of smooth muscle. The circle-shaped opening in the “flattened donut” is the pupil where light passes through towards the deeper portion of the eye. Because of the action of the smooth muscle, the pupil can be made wider or narrower. A narrow pupil prevents large amount of light entering the eye as that light would overload the photoreceptors in the retina. A wide pupil allows more light into the eye in a dim environment, so the photoreceptors can receive enough light for producing visual experience.

Second, let’s talk about the implant itself. The implant is made of silicone, and shaped like the biological iris. It is placed into its normal location, immediately in front of the lens.  Because silicone doesn’t

Can we use gene therapy to prevent hearing loss?

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. cellular basis of life chapter – concept of one gene, one protein
  2. cellular basis of life chapter – concept of gene mutation leading to protein malfunction
  3. cellular basis of life – cells can die through programmed cell death
  4. special senses chapter – regions of the hearing apparatus
  5. special senses chapter – functioning of hair cells in the cochlea

The news item:  Recently the following news item appeared:

Gene Therapy Restores Hearing in Mice – University of Miami Medicine Magazine

esearchers from the Miller School and Harvard Medical School report successfully using gene therapy to help restore hearing in a mouse model mimicking genetic hearing loss in humans. The next step is to study the therapy in humans with a common type of genetic hearing loss.

The article states that very similar to humans, mutations in the gene TMPRSS3 causes late-onset hearing loss in mice. The article also states that this gene affects the survival of inner ear hearing nerve cells, and mutations are responsible for 9% of genetic hearing loss. The article adds that gene therapy in mice was successful in reversing the hearing loss.

So, Why Do I Care??  In the USA over 10,000 babies are born with hearing loss, and 37 million people have hearing loss ranging from mild to severe. Because verbal communication is an important part of information gathering and social activities, hearing loss can lead to a decrease in the quality of life, and social isolation. While hearing aids and cochlear implants have been helpful to restore some degree of hearing, the possibility of gene therapy provides new opportunities to remedy hearing loss.

Plain English, Please!!! First, let’s talk about the location of the hair cells where the gene mutation causes abnormal functioning leading to hearing loss. Our hearing apparatus is made up of three regions: the external ear where the eardrum is, the middle ear where the auditory ossicles are, and the inner ear where the sensory hair cells are located. When we take a closer look we see that the hair cells are found inside a snail-shaped structure called the cochlea. These hair cells are essential for hearing, because they release neurotransmitters to create nerve impulses by the neurons inside the cochlea.

Second, let’s talk about how the TMPRSS3 mutation affects the hair cells. The normal TMPRSS gene encodes for a protein that is a protease. There is no final word on this, but some research suggest that

Can our genes influence what we like to eat?

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. cellular basis of life chapter – concept of one gene, one protein
  2. cellular basis of life chapter – concept of gene mutation leading to protein malfunction
  3. special senses chapter – taste receptors are in taste buds
  4. special senses chapter – role of G-proteins in sweet, bitter and savory taste receptors

The news item:  Recently this news article appeared online:

Bitter or Savory, Taste Genes Could Influence Your Diet

US News is a recognized leader in college, grad school, hospital, mutual fund, and car rankings. Track elected officials, research health conditions, and find news you can use in politics, business, health, and education.

 

The article states that a study was conducted to link previously described gene variations to the five basic taste types: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and savory. People with high sensitivity to bitter flavor ate fewer whole grains.  People with high sensitivity to savory flavor ate fewer vegetables. People with high sensitivity to sweet flavor had lower triglyceride levels.

So, Why Do I Care??  Changing ones diet have been part of many non-invasive prevention of diseases, and also part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle after surgery or after the start of new medication. However, changing ones diet is a challenging task, because of the stubborn food preferences we all develop. If those food preferences can be linked to genetic function, then dietary changes could be guided to accommodate those gene-influenced food preferences, and to give patients dietary prescriptions that we find easier to follow.

Plain English, Please!!!  First, let’s talk about the cells that detect tastes. On the surface of your tongue there are hundreds of small bumps called papilla, and inside each of those bumps sit taste receptor cells that detect chemicals around them. When those receptor cells detect taste-related chemicals, the cells then release neurotransmitters to start a nerve impulse in the axons of cranial nerve VII or IX.

Second, let’s talk about how taste receptors detect tastes. The five types of taste receptor cells are sensitive to different taste-causing chemicals (tastants). The “sour” receptor cells are sensitive to hydrogen ions, and the “salty” receptor cells are sensitive to sodium ions. For both of those receptors the

Can we really carry out vision tests with AR goggles and artificial intelligence app?

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. special senses chapter – location of retina, the third tunic of the eye
  2. special senses chapter – location and importance of macula lutea
  3. special senses chapter – the retina needs blood supply to bring oxygen and nutrients to the neurons of the retina
  4. special senses chapter – location of liquid-filled spaces inside the eye
  5. special senses chapter – the sensory cells called rods and cones of the retina detect light

The news item:  Recently the following news report appeared online:

 

Duncansville Eye Practice Using AR-Type Headset to Diagnose Major Eye Issues

A Duncansville eye practice is using a new augmented-reality device made by Florida-based company Heru to diagnose severe conditions in patients. This AR-like headset can detect serious eye diseases like Glaucoma in minutesand it’s being used right here in Blair County.

The report states that the HERU is a headset with goggles, and the equipment projects flashes of light in the visual field of the eye, and asks the test subject to respond when they see the light. Among other conditions, glaucoma can be diagnosed with the device.

So, Why Do I Care??  Deterioration of vision is a major threat to quality of life in an aging population. The most serious causes of vision loss are glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration, affect over 13 million people in the US. Faster and easier to perform diagnostic process can ensure that people can get an early diagnosis, and more effective treatment. In addition to those two eye disorders the HERU device can diagnose 7 additional eye disorders, indicating the versatility of the device.

Plain English, Please!!!  First, let’s talk about what glaucoma is. This eye disorder develops because of the increased pressure inside the eye. The pressure is coming from the accumulation of aqueous humor in the front (anterior) cavity inside the eye. The increased pressure is then transferred to the vitreous humor of the posterior cavity.  The vitreous humor compresses the blood vessels on the surface of the retina, and that slows the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the light-sensing cells (rods and cones). Picture a garden hose with water flowing through it. If someone steps on the hose the water flow slows down. The same happens to blood vessels of the retina if they are compressed. Without enough oxygen and nutrients the rods and cones start dying, and they no longer detect light, and that leads to vision loss.

Second, let’s talk about what age-related macular degeneration is. This eye disorder develops when a small patch of the retina, the macula lutea, malfunctions. The cause of macular degeneration is

Can a protein from pig skin restore vision to blind people?

TeachableMedicalNews article 01152023

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. special senses chapter – tunics/layers of the eye
  2. special senses chapter – structure of the cornea
  3. tissues chapter – collagen is found in the extracellular matrix of many connective tissues
  4. immune system chapter – recognition of non-self antigens
  5. immune system chapter – role of lymphocytes for immune functions

The news item:  Recently this news item was online:

Eye implant made from pig protein restored sight in 14 blind people

Twenty people with diseased or damaged corneas saw improvements to their vision after receiving implants engineered out of protein from pigskin.

The article states that collagen from pig skin was helpful in restoring vision to people with the disorder called keratoconus, that this disease represents a bulging of the front of the eye, that about 50-200 from 100,000 people have this disease, and that the treatment includes injection of this collagen into the cornea.

So, Why Do I Care??  Our vision is the most precious sense, so, any loss of visual capacity has a major effect on our quality of life. The misshaped cornea causes loss of sharp vision.  As the article states keratoconus is a relatively rare disorder, nonetheless it is important to keep an account of any remedy that restores vision.

Plain English, Please!!! First, let’s talk about what keratoconus is. At the front of the eyeball there is a transparent sheet called cornea. From the side it looks like a flat bubble. The cornea focuses light into the eye. In some people the cornea has a pointy shape like a small ice cream cone. This keratoconus condition prevents the focusing of light, so, blurred, cloudy vision is the result.

Second, let’s talk about the injection into the cornea. While the cornea is a very thin sheet of tissue, it is possible to inject materials into the sheet.  Because the cornea is flexible, injection of the proper amount

Can we really put an implant inside the eye to deliver drugs to treat eye diseases?

TeachableMedicalNews article 06152022

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. cellular basis of life chapter – diffusion as a means of molecular movement
  2. special senses chapter – the photoreceptors rods and cones are in the retina
  3. special senses chapter – liquid-filled chambers of the eye
  4. special senses chapter – sclera, the white of the eye, is the toughest, outer layer

Can we put an implant inside the eye to deliver drugs to treat eye diseases?

The news item:  Recently a report appeared about a drug, Susvimo, that reverses blindness:

New technology helps Georgetown veteran restore his eyesight

If you’re living with blurry vision, there’s a chance a new device can help you get your eyesight back without frequent visits to the doctor. The newly FDA-approved Susvimo implant helped one Georgetown veteran preserve his vision after being diagnosed with wet age-related macular degeneration.

The article states that AMD (wet, age-related macular degeneration) is the leading cause of blindness over the age 60, that this disorder is caused by growth and scarring of blood vessels under the retina, and that drug-delivery through an implant has restored vision in 90% of the treated individuals.

So, Why Do I Care??  Eye diseases can rob people of their vision. Many of such diseases are treated by injection of a drug into the eye. It is estimated that there are over 10 million such injections per year in the USA. Because chronic eye disorders require several injections into the same eye, it is worth exploring alternative delivery systems for long-term administration of drugs.

Plain English, Please!!!   First, let’s review the action of Susvimo, the drug we will use as an example to learn about implants inside the eye. In a previous post of Teachable Medical News (TMN 05252022), we described the action of the drug Susvimo. Here is a brief summary:  Normally the light-sensing cell in the

How does drug injection into the eye save people from blindness?

TeachableMedicalNews article 05252022

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. special senses chapter – location of macula lutea in the retina of the eye
  2. special senses chapter – the photoreceptors rods and cones are in the retina
  3. hemodynamics chapter – capillaries are the thinnest blood vessels
  4. hemodynamics chapter – endothelial cell location in capillaries

The news item:  Recently a report appeared about a drug that restores eyesight:

New technology helps Georgetown veteran restore his eyesight

If you’re living with blurry vision, there’s a chance a new device can help you get your eyesight back without frequent visits to the doctor. The newly FDA-approved Susvimo implant helped one Georgetown veteran preserve his vision after being diagnosed with wet age-related macular degeneration.

The article states that AMD (wet, age-related macular degeneration) is the leading cause of blindness over the age 60, that this disorder is caused by growth and scarring of blood vessels under the retina, and that the drug-delivery implant has restored vision in 90% of the treated individuals.

So, Why Do I Care??  Blindness is a condition where a significant part of the eyesight is lost, and such loss has a severe negative impact on people’s lives. In the USA alone there are about a million patients with wet age-related macular degeneration, and without treatment most of them will go blind.

Plain English, Please!!!   First, let’s talk about how the structure called macula plays a role in our vision. When we say we see something, the image of that something has to be turned into a nerve impulse so

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