"Regeneration" is
a phenomenon that occurs
when tissues or organs
are damaged, where special
cells (stem cells and
others) possessing cell
division capacity among
the remaining cells multiply
and repair the damage
or the impaired part
arising from the damage.
At
the
present
moment,
much
attention
is
being
focused
on "regenerative
medicine," which
aims
to
regenerate
tissues
and
organs
by
means
of
reproducing
the
embryonic
process
of
various
organs
using
stem
cells.
Work
has
progressed
on
laying
safety
and
manufacturing
guidelines
when
using
cells
for
medical
purposes,
with
advances
that
befit
the
name, "the
new
medicine
of
the
21st
century."
The
chief
purpose
of
treatment
in
ophthalmology
is
the "improvement
of
visual
function." Diseases
that
are
treated
fall
into
the
categories
of
diseases
affecting
the
anterior
segment
of
the
eyes
and
diseases
affecting
the
eyeground.
In
the
former,
ocular
surface
reconstruction
will
improve
vision.
As
cells
used
in
this
reconstructive
surgery,
cultured
cells
are
being
used
experimentally
in
the
field
of
regenerative
medicine.
Assuming
that
transplant
is
to
be
made
using
reconstructive
surgery,
a search
is
currently
underway
for
a method
that
eliminates
as
much
as
possible
the
risk
of
rejection
and
other
complications
after
transplant.
Being
undertaken
today
is
the
regeneration
of
tissues
that
satisfy
the
conditions
of
collecting
the
minimum
amount
of
cells
possible
and
culturing
a cell
cluster
that
achieves
the
maximum
functional
recovery
and
of
reducing
post-transplant
risks.
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