Question

Explain the steps that the scientists probably would have used to restore sight to the dogs

Answer 1

Scientists used gene therapy to restore the sight of the dogs who suffer from inherited blindness.

Inherited blindness is identified as retinitis pigmentosa. It is the progressive loss of both the rods and the cones photoreceptors in the retina from the edge of the retina to the centre, leading to worsening tunnel vision caused by the loss of peripheral sight

A human gene that enabled cells in the retina to become sensitive to light is added into the retina cells. The scientists then inject a chemical called "photoswitch" in the eye. It attaches itself to the ion channel protein and enables the full conversion of light into an electrical signal relayed to the brain.