1.   These retinal cells are capable, in some mysterious way, of rendering the light audible, and they relay their information to the brain.

2.   And once the retinal cells start dying, they release growth factors to encourage new veins to grow-but they grow in the iris instead of the retina.

3.   Before Harris took up the cause, McGinnis said, retinal cell research was criticized as being without scientific merit.

4.   Early cases are often treated with lasers, which have the unfortunate side effect of destroying normal retinal cells as well as the damaged areas beneath them.

5.   In an effort to find treatments, researchers are exploring such possibilities as gene therapy, retinal cell transplantation and retinal implants as well as drug and nutrition therapies.

6.   Instead, he and his colleagues are testing low-dose radiation to destroy the blood vessels but spare the normal retinal cells.

7.   Macular degeneration, a deterioration of retinal cells that causes a loss of the central field of vision, has recently been linked to chronic sun exposure.

8.   Other scientists already are toying with that technique to replace retinal cells in the human eye.

9.   Researchers know that the gene is normally active in the retinal cells known as rods, where it controls the production of a molecule called a transporter.

10.   Retinal cell transplantation involves moving healthy retinal cells from an area of the eye not yet affected by RP into an area already in decline.