Scientists have found a new way to regenerate damaged cells of the optic nerve. With the help of gene therapy, they were able to stimulate the regeneration of nerve fibers, as well as protect retinal neurons from death.. Their findings are published on the website of the University of Cambridge.

Researchers knew that immature neurons in the body have the best ability to repair, losing them during their development.. Having studied this phenomenon, scientists found that in immature cells there is a greater amount of the protein protrudin, the presence of a large amount of which neither the central nervous system nor the PNS can boast..

After studying the properties of the protein, the researchers concluded that it is one of the reasons why young neurons have better resistance to damage.. Wanting to study its effect in practice, scientists conducted two experiments.

" Scientists damaged axons and began to observe the reaction of cells in response to protrudin. It turned out that an increase in the amount or activity of the protein significantly increased the regeneration.

Testing the method in mice with optic nerve injuries showed that with the help of the protrudin axons could regenerate even at a great distance, and retinal neurons were protected from death, "

First of all, the results obtained open up new prospects for the treatment of glaucoma, the authors are sure.. In glaucoma, the optic nerve that connects the eyes and the brain is gradually damaged, often due to increased pressure inside the eye.

" Usually, without treatment, about half of the retinal neurons die after retinal detachment within three days, "

Previously, the University of Toronto developed a hydrogel that restores retinal cell function.

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