Publications by authors named "Nicolai Blasdel"
Retinal degeneration in mammals causes permanent loss of vision, due to an inability to regenerate naturally. Some non-mammalian vertebrates show robust regeneration, via Muller glia (MG). We have recently made significant progress in stimulating adult mouse MG to regenerate functional neurons by transgenic expression of the proneural transcription factor Ascl1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Endogenous reprogramming of glial cells, specifically Müller glia, shows potential for neuron restoration in the adult retina by using strategies adapted from regenerative species.
- The transcription factor Ascl1 can induce some Müller glia to regenerate neurons, but this process is hindered by neuroinflammation from infiltrating monocytes from the peripheral immune system.
- Preventing monocyte infiltration enhances the neurogenic capacity of Müller glia, suggesting that targeting peripheral immune responses could improve neuronal regeneration therapies in the central nervous system.
Regeneration of neurons has important implications for human health, and the retina provides an accessible system to study the potential of replacing neurons following injury. In previous work, we generated transgenic mice in which neurogenic transcription factors were expressed in Müller glia (MG) and showed that they stimulated neurogenesis following inner retinal damage. It was unknown, however, whether the timing or mode of injury mattered in this process.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRetinal degeneration in mammals causes permanent loss of vision, due to an inability to regenerate naturally. Some non-mammalian vertebrates show robust regeneration, via Muller glia (MG). We have recently made significant progress in stimulating adult mouse MG to regenerate functional neurons by transgenic expression of the proneural transcription factor Ascl1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF