[CLSTR]
< Back to situations

Monitor this situation.

[SITUATION] · [QUIET] · [HEALTH]

2 clusters · 9 sources · 9 days · First seen · Last updated

Michigan State University retinal gene therapy research

Overview

Researchers at Michigan State University have demonstrated that a single-dose gene therapy can repair damaged retinal connections in adult dogs. The study, published in ‘Molecular Therapy Advances’, targeted a hereditary vision disorder caused by mutations in the CaBP4 gene, which is necessary for chemical signaling between retinal cells and the brain.

By injecting a harmless virus containing a functional copy of the CaBP4 gene into affected Whippet dogs, the team observed structural improvements, including the expansion of the outer plexiform layer and the growth of synaptic ribbons. These results indicate that the adult mammalian retina possesses regenerative capacity and plasticity previously thought impossible.

Veterinary ophthalmologist Billie Beckwith-Cohen noted that the therapy repaired existing abnormalities and added new structural components. The findings suggest that such breakthroughs in repairing mammalian nerve cells could eventually lead to vision-restoring therapies for humans.

Entities

Michigan State University · Molecular Therapy Advances · CaBP4 gene · Billie Beckwit-Cohen · Billie Beckwith-Cohen

Timeline

  1. [HEALTH] 3 sources
    Michigan State University researchers restore retinal nerve connections via gene therapy

    Michigan State University researchers used gene therapy to restore damaged retinal nerve connections in dogs, potentially paving the way for future human vision restoration treatments.

  2. [HEALTH] 6 sources
    Michigan State University gene therapy repairs damaged adult retinas

    Michigan State University researchers found that gene therapy can physically repair damaged retinal connections in adult dogs, challenging the belief that mature mammalian nerve cells cannot regenerate.

Sources

013info.rs · in4s.net · negarmag.com · nypost.com · radiotitograd.me · techfars.com · time.news · wonderfulengineering.com · world-today-journal.com