Scientists have developed LEAF (Light-reaction Enriched thylAkoid NADPH-Foundry), a therapy using nanoscale thylakoids extracted from spinach, delivered directly to the eye via eye drops. Once absorbed into corneal cells, these plant structures temporarily function as “neo-organelles” for ~8 hours, performing photosynthesis using ambient light. This process produces NADPH, boosting antioxidants and slashing Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) by ~500% in patient tear samples. The approach bypasses damaged cellular pathways by delivering orthogonal reducing power — a concept inspired by Endosymbiotic Theory, mirroring how mitochondria and chloroplasts were once foreign organisms.
Read more at Cell
