Neural and Müller glial adaptation of the retina to photoreceptor degeneration.

The majority of inherited retinal degenerative diseases and dry age-related macular degeneration are characterized by decay of the outer retina and photoreceptors, which leads to progressive loss of vision. The inner retina, including second- and third-order retinal neurons, also shows aberrant structural changes at all stages of degeneration. Müller glia, the major glial cells maintain retinal homeostasis, activating and rearranging immediately in response to photoreceptor stress.