(Nature) – Injection of a person’s own mitochondria into the retina was safe but had only a temporary effect on restoring vision.

Scientists have extracted mitochondria from a woman’s leg muscles and injected them into the vitreous fluid of her eyes in an attempt to treat severe blindness. The procedure caused no inflammation or side effects — but had a limited effect on restoring responses to light in the eyes, and did not restore the woman’s vision.

Transplanting healthy mitochondria — organelles that produce energy in cells — is being explored as a way to treat diseases that damage these organelles in tissues. (Read More)