A new study has uncovered a surprising mechanism behind how humans develop sharp central vision before birth. Scientists found that blue cone cells in the retina do not simply move away from the eye’s center, as previously believed. Instead, they transform into red and green cone cells under the influence of vitamin A-related signals and thyroid hormones. This discovery reshapes our understanding of retinal development and could improve the creation of lab-grown retinal tissue for research. In the future, these findings may also help advance cell-based therapies aimed at restoring vision lost to age-related retinal diseases such as macular degeneration.
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