April 2009
Volume 50, Issue 13
Free
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   April 2009
Improved Restoration of Visual Responses in the SC of Rats With Retinal Degeneration by BDNF- or GDNF-Treated Retinal Transplants
P. B. Yang; M. J. Seiler; R. B. Aramant; F. R. Yan; M. Mahoney; L. M. Kitzes; H. S. Keirstead
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • P. B. Yang
    Anatomy & Neurobiology, Reeve-Irvine Research Center, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, California
  • M. J. Seiler
    Anatomy & Neurobiology, Reeve-Irvine Research Center, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, California
    Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California
  • R. B. Aramant
    Anatomy & Neurobiology, Reeve-Irvine Research Center, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, California
  • F. R. Yan
    Anatomy & Neurobiology, Reeve-Irvine Research Center, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, California
  • M. Mahoney
    Biomedical Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado
  • L. M. Kitzes
    Anatomy & Neurobiology, Reeve-Irvine Research Center, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, California
  • H. S. Keirstead
    Anatomy & Neurobiology, Reeve-Irvine Research Center, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, California
    Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships  P.B. Yang, None; M.J. Seiler, Ocular Transplantation LLC, P; R.B. Aramant, Ocular Transplantation LLC, P; F.R. Yan, None; M. Mahoney, None; L.M. Kitzes, None; H.S. Keirstead, International Stem Cell Corporation, C.
  • Footnotes
    Support  Lincy Foundation
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science April 2009, Vol.50, 6262. doi:
  • Views
  • Share
  • Tools
    • Alerts
      User Alerts
      You are adding an alert for:
      Improved Restoration of Visual Responses in the SC of Rats With Retinal Degeneration by BDNF- or GDNF-Treated Retinal Transplants
      You will receive an email whenever this article is corrected, updated, or cited in the literature. You can manage this and all other alerts in My Account
      The alert will be sent to:
      ×
      This feature is available to authenticated users only.
      Sign In or Create an Account ×
    • Get Citation
      Citation

      P. B. Yang, M. J. Seiler, R. B. Aramant, F. R. Yan, M. Mahoney, L. M. Kitzes, H. S. Keirstead; Improved Restoration of Visual Responses in the SC of Rats With Retinal Degeneration by BDNF- or GDNF-Treated Retinal Transplants. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2009;50(13):6262.

      Download citation file:

      © ARVO (1962-2015); The Authors (2016-present)

      ×
    • Get Permissions
  • Supplements
Abstract

Purpose: : To investigate in a rat retinal degeneration model whether retinal transplant-induced restoration of visual responses in the superior colliculus (SC) can be improved by glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), as well as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).

Methods: : Transgenic pigmented S334ter line 3 retinal degenerate rats (age 4-6 weeks) were subretinally implanted with BDNF or GDNF-microsphere-treated retinal progenitor sheets. Controls included non-treated retinal transplants, cortex transplants, sham surgeries, and age-matched normal and transgenic rats. Multi-unit responses were recorded from the SC following photic stimulation after overnight dark-adaptation. Response thresholds, spike counts, onset response latency, and magnitude of responses were evaluated.

Results: : The SC of degenerate rats with retinal transplants (age up to 45 weeks) responded to light in an area topographically corresponding to the placement of the transplant in the retina. The SC in sham control animals, degenerate rats without surgery, and rats with cortex transplants did not respond. However, the onset response latency and magnitude of response in degenerate rats with retinal transplants (with and without factors) did not vary as a function of stimulus intensity, in contrast to normal controls. Rats with BDNF or GDNF-treated transplants responded to photic stimulation at a lower luminance (-4.27 and -4.5 log cd/m2, respectively) than rats with transplants without treatment (-2.89 log cd/m2).

Conclusions: : Compared to untreated transplants, the results suggest that retinal transplants treated with BDNF or GDNF not only restored visual responses but also enhanced the restoration of visual function as demonstrated by a lower luminance threshold.

Keywords: electrophysiology: non-clinical • superior colliculus/optic tectum • retinal degenerations: cell biology 
© 2009, The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc., all rights reserved. Permission to republish any abstract or part of an abstract in any form must be obtained in writing from the ARVO Office prior to publication.
Copyright © 2025 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.
×
×

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

Sign in or purchase a subscription to access this content. ×

You must be signed into an individual account to use this feature.

×
This site uses cookies. By continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to our privacy policy.Accept