The retina can be stimulated to self-regeneration

Scientists at the Schepens Eye Research Institute, working under the leadership of Dr. Dong Feng Chen, have established which chemical compounds stimulate resting eye cells of non-neural origin to transform into progenitor cells capable of forming new retinal cells.

This discovery can be used to mobilize the eye's own resources when it is necessary to repair the damaged retina, which will avoid transplantation of donor retina or stem cells.

Scientists have long known about the existence of a large population of so-called Muller cells in the eye, which are considered responsible for protecting the retina tissue from external influences and cleaning it from "biological debris". However, in recent years there has been more and more evidence that under certain conditions these cells begin to behave like progenitor cells, i.e. divide and differentiate into cells of other types.

However, until now, the reasons for launching this transformation remained a mystery. The authors demonstrated that the introduction of glutamate compounds found in the body and its derivative aminoadipate into the eye stimulates the division and proliferation of Muller cells.

The effects of these compounds were tested both on cell cultures and on an animal model. Glutamate and aminoadipate were separately introduced into Muller cell cultures and under the retina of healthy mice. In all cases, Muller cells were transformed into progenitor cells, which subsequently turned into retinal cells. Moreover, with the introduction of aminoadipate, the newly formed retinal cells migrated to where they were needed and differentiated into the necessary cell types. In particular, the authors demonstrated the ability of these cells to form new photoreceptors, the loss of which in diseases such as macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa leads to vision loss.

In the near future, the authors plan to test on animal models the possibility of using the mechanism they discovered for the treatment of macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa. During the experiments, only aminoadipate will be administered to animals, because it binds exclusively to Muller cells and does not have the side effects of glutamate, large concentrations of which are toxic to cells.

The authors hope that preparations based on aminoadipate or similar compounds will eventually allow to restore the retina damaged in various diseases.

Portal "Eternal youth" www.vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of ScienceDaily

20.03.2008