Farmers around the world used 160 million hectares to grow biotech crops in 2011--12 million more than in 2010--according to a new report by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA), a government and industry funded group that promotes the use of biotechnology in agriculture. 

Around two thirds of that growth occurred in developing nations, which in 2011 held around half of the total land used to grow genetically modified crops. Among these nations, Brazil led the way with 30.3 million hectares of maize, soybeans, and cotton. The United States maintained the overall lead, with 69 million hectares devoted to eight different crops.

The Guardian created this handy visualization based on the data, which was released earlier this week. It shows total hectares by country, and the specific genetically modified crops grown in each country.

Credit: The Guardian.

Credit: Ren West

Stem cells from frog eggs can be genetically prodded to develop into functional eyes in tadpoles, according to research presented at the Society of Neurosciences conference in Washington, DC. Michael Zuber and his colleagues from SUNY Upstate Medical University, in Syracuse, NY, genetically engineered the stem cells to express a set of transcription factors (proteins that trigger expression of other genes) that are known to regulate eye development.

When transplanted onto frog embryos that had had one eye removed, the cells developed into all seven types of cells found in the retina and also grew connections to the appropriate target in the brain. Swim tests showed that the new eyes functioned properly: tadpoles stayed in the part of their tank with a white background, which is normal tadpole behavior, rather than a black background.

It's not clear if the same genetic programming would work in mammalian cells: frogs have much greater regenerative potential than mammals to begin with, and it's difficult to simultaneously express all the required transcription factors in mammalian cells for technical reasons. But Zuber hopes to use the frog system to find chemicals that activate the transcription factors without genetic engineering. If successful, the research might one day lead to new treatments for diseases linked to cell loss in the retina.

In related findings, Sujeong Jang of Chonnam National University, in South Korea, and colleagues were able to restore hearing in deafened guinea pigs by transplanting neural stem cells derived from human bone marrow.

Restoring sight: Scientists removed one eye from tadpoles (left image) and then implanted genetically engineered stem cells in its place. They grew to form a functioning eye (right). Credit: Michael Zuber