World First: Mitochondria From a Woman’s Leg Were Injected Into Her Eyes

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Researchers have successfully completed the first-ever procedure of injecting mitochondria into a human patient’s eyes, marking a significant milestone in regenerative medicine. Scientists extracted energy-producing mitochondria from a woman’s leg tissue and introduced them directly into both of her eyes in an experimental treatment designed to restore vision lost due to severe nerve damage.

The patient, a 26-year-old who suffered extensive vision loss following a brain bleed and prolonged oxygen deprivation, had shown no improvement through conventional treatments. Although her optic nerves and retinal cells were severely damaged, imaging revealed that some nerve tissue remained viable. Researchers theorized that introducing healthy mitochondria might revitalize these surviving cells by restoring their energy production capacity.

While the treatment did not restore the patient’s vision, encouraging signs emerged within days of the procedure. Her pupils began displaying normal responses to light for the first time in over two months, and her visual cortex showed organized electrical activity in follow-up brain recordings. However, these improvements were temporary, with responses diminishing within weeks.

The findings, reported in a preprint study, indicate the procedure posed no serious safety risks or immune complications. Researchers acknowledged significant limitations, including the single-patient nature of the study and lack of direct confirmation that mitochondria reached their target cells. Nevertheless, the successful completion of this pioneering technique establishes a foundation for future research into mitochondrial transplantation as a potential therapeutic approach.

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Originally reported by Sciencealert →