Understanding how photoreceptor degeneration alters retinal signaling, and how to intervene to rescue vision
Schedule
Monday, January 18, 2021
15:00 UTC
Richard Kramer
Prof
UC Berkeley
Host: Sussex Visions
Recording
Open recording
Event Information
Recording
Available
Host
Sussex Visions
Duration
70 minutes
Abstract
Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) are vision disorders caused by loss of rod and cone photoreceptors, but downstream retinal neurons also show physiological and morphological changes, resulting in the emergence of hyperactivity and rhythmic firing in many retinal ganglion cells (RGC). We recently discovered that retinoic acid (RA) is a key signal that triggers hyperactivity and that blockers of RA unmask light responses in RGCs that would otherwise be obscured. Recent work is revealing where in the retina circuit RA initiates functional changes. Moreover, interfering with the RA signaling pathway with drug or gene therapy can improve spatial vision in a mouse model of RP, providing a new strategy for enhancing low vision in human RP and AMD.
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