Scientists Develop Tear Glands in a Laboratory, Called Similar to the Originals

Suara.com – Dutch scientists have made glands tears or human lacimal glands in the lab and transplanted them into the eyes of mice to see if their experiment was successful.

A series of experiments could represent a major step in medicine dry eyes in humans, the condition affects about 5% of adults worldwide and can cause blindness in severe cases.

A lead author of the study from the Hubrecht Institute in Utrecht said Marie Bannier-Hélaouët tear glands which they make in petri cups is quite similar to its original organ.

Bannier-Hélaouët revealed that this eye gland consists of two components, such as acinar cells and duct cells.

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“Both can make tears, but the duct cells have an additional function, which acts like a duct that brings tears to the surface of the eye,” said Bannier-Hélaouët. Live Science.

The difference between this organoid and the original organ is that there is no eye to remove the tears so that it is only shaped like a small balloon. These organoids are similar in size to those in humans, reaching one to 50 inches in width or about half a millimeter.

The researchers divided the study into three experiments. First, they grew human tear glands in petri dishes and made them produce tears.

The big challenge is how to get these organoids to produce tears. This is because researchers need brain chemicals or neurotransmitters.

“Working on the perfect cocktail (neurotransmitter) to make organoids cry is the most challenging part. It took me about three or four months and about seven to 10 trials,” he said.

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What surprised him was that the manufacture of the final cocktail contained very few ingredients, one of which was the antioxidant molecule. After the cocktail was refined, the researchers observed glands that swelled with tears, but couldn’t drain.

Next, they implanted some of the artificial glands into the tear ducts of the mice. As a result, these glands are able to produce tears, but they cannot be released into the ducts like in human organs.

So, researchers are looking for ways that these glands can act ‘normally’.

“We’ve come up with ideas on how to do it,” he said again.

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