Rebuilding Neuronal Connections for Vision Restoration
The damage or degeneration of optic nerve axons derived from the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) accounts for deficits of vision after traumatic injury or in degenerative diseases such as glaucoma. Thus, one key strategy to restore vision is to encourage injured optic nerve axons to regenerate across the lesion and reconnect with their targets. By using optic nerve injury models, we have provided evidence for a crucial role of lost intrinsic regenerative ability underpinning the regenerative failure of injured optic nerve axons. I will summarize our findings about strategies for promoting optic nerve regeneration and also discuss the challenges we are facing in translating these results into translatable strategies of restoring visual function.
