Fish eyes may cure blindness in humans: Research Study
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ISLAMABAD: (APP) Scientists have identified a chemical signal in the zebrafish brain that helps it regenerate retina, a finding that may help cure blindness in humans.
The discovery raises the possibility that human retinas can be induced to regenerate, naturally repairing damage caused by degenerative retinal diseases and injury, including age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa, researchers said.
"The prevailing belief has been that the regeneration process in fish retinas is triggered by secreted growth factors, but our results indicate that the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) might initiate the process instead," James Patton, Professor at Vanderbilt University in the US said.
"All the regeneration models assume that a retina must be seriously damaged before regeneration takes place, but our studies indicate that GABA can induce this process even in undamaged retinas," Patton in a study published in the journal Stem Cell Reports said.
"Our theory is that a drop in GABA concentration is the trigger for regeneration. It initiates a cascade of events that includes the activation of the Muller glia and the production of various growth factors that stimulate cell growth and proliferation," Patton said.
"If we are correct, then it might be possible to stimulate human retinas to repair themselves by treating them with a GABA inhibitor," Patton added.