Promoting optic nerve and retinofugal pathway regeneration

项目摘要/摘要 这个研究项目的总体目标是了解如何再生 哺乳动物的中枢视觉通路。这项建议特别关注这个问题。 如何从眼睛的输出神经元，视网膜神经节细胞再生投射 (视网膜节细胞)到它们在大脑中的靶点(统称为‘视黄醇逃逸途径’)-a 巡回赛绝对是必不可少的视觉。最近在以下方面取得了重大进展 识别能够触发RGC轴突再生的分子程序。这个 该领域的下一个关键里程碑是找到增加RGC数量的方法 再生的轴突及其再生的距离。同样至关重要的是， 确定重新生成的RGC是否可以找到并重新连接到正确的目标， 这样的视觉能力又回来了。这项提议的三个主要目的是：1)测试 假设特定形式的视觉刺激可以增加数量和 RGC再生轴突的距离2)检验结合视觉的假说 分子刺激RGC轴突生长可导致RGC轴突再生 长距离回到大脑中，并决定再生的视网膜节细胞是否 能够返回并重新连接到适当的目标，以及 避开不符合其功能的目标。这些实验的结果应该会导致 对哺乳动物视觉回路如何进行反应的新理解 以伤害和铺平道路的培养适用于人类遭受 视力丧失。

Project Summary/Abstract The overall goal of this research program is to understand how to regenerate mammalian central visual pathways. This proposal specifically focuses on the question of how to regenerate projections from output neurons of the eye, retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) to their targets in the brain (collectively referred to `retinofugal pathway')- a circuit absolutely essential vision. Significant progress has recently been made in identifying molecular programs capable of triggering some RGC axon regeneration. The next crucial milestones for the field are to discover ways to increase the number RGC axons that regenerate and the distance they regro. It is also crucially important to determine whether regenerating RGCs can find and reconnect to the correct targets, such visual capacities return. The three major aims of this proposal are to: 1) test the hypothesis that specific forms of visual stimulation can enhance the number and distance of RGC regenerating axons 2) test the hypothesis that combining visual stimulation with molecular triggers of RGC axon growth can cause RGC axons to regrow long distances back into the brain and 3) determine whether regenerating RGCs are capable of pathfinding back to and re-connecting to their appropriate targets, as well as avoiding targets incorrect for their function. Results from these experiments should lead to new understanding of how mammalian visual circuits can be replenished in response to injury and pave the way for the cultivation of tools applicable to humans suffering from vision loss.