Not a dry eye in the house: stem cell-derived organoids produce tears in a dish

Researchers from the Hubrecht Institute (Utrecht, The Netherlands) have developed stem-cell-derived organoids that can produce moisture. This regenerative method may shed light – and tears – on novel treatments for dry-eye disease. Their study, which demonstrated that organoids can engraft, integrate and produce mature tears upon transplantation into mouse tear glands, was recently published in the journal Cell Stem Cell. "We hope that scientists will use our model to identify new treatment options for patients with tear-gland disorders by either testing new drugs on a patient's organoids or expanding healthy cells and, one day, using them for transplantation," commented senior...