Providing the Ability to See Near-Infrared Light as a Treatment for Retinal Degeneration

Researchers here propose an interesting approach to restoring vision in cases of age-related macular degeneration. They are using a gene therapy targeted at photoreceptor cells to provide these cells with the ability to be stimulated by near-infrared light. In tests in mice, this appears to function as intended, though it is always challenging to assess the quality of vision (as opposed to its presence or absence) in such experiments. The main cause of blindness in industrialized countries is the degeneration of photoreceptors, including age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa. During the progression of degenerative photoreceptor diseases, light-sensitive and light-insensitive photoreceptor regions in the retina coexist. For example, macular degeneration patients lose vision in the central portion of their retina but retain peripheral eyesight. Scientists have now succeeded in developing a new therapeutic approach to restore light sensitivity in degenerating retina without negatively affecting remaining vision. They were inspired by species found in nature, such as bats and snakes, that can localize near-infrared light emitted by the bodies of their preys. This is done by using heat-sensitive ion channels which are able to detect the heat of the near-infrared light. This enables the bats and snakes to superimpose thermal and visual images in the brain and thus react to their environment with greater precision. To equip retinal photorec...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs