Retinal ganglion cell repopulation for vision restoration in optic neuropathy: a roadmap from the RReSTORe Consortium

Area of Science:

• Regenerative Neuroscience
• Stem Cell Biology
• Developmental Neuroscience

Background:

• Optic neuropathies like glaucoma cause irreversible vision loss due to limited regeneration in the central nervous system.
• Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death is a primary cause of vision impairment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address challenges in therapeutic repair of the visual pathway for optic neuropathies.
• To advance the field of RGC repopulation for vision restoration.

Main Methods:

• The RGC Repopulation, Stem Cell Transplantation, and Optic Nerve Regeneration (RReSTORe) Consortium convened international experts.
• Discussions focused on five critical areas: RGC development, transplantation, survival, inner retinal wiring, and eye-to-brain connectivity.
• Multidisciplinary approaches integrating various scientific fields were proposed.

Main Results:

• Identified key challenges and questions for clinical translation of RGC repopulation therapies.
• Proposed experimental directions to overcome hurdles in restoring visual function.
• Highlighted the potential of stem cell-derived neurons and endogenous transdifferentiation for RGC repopulation.

Conclusions:

• Significant hurdles remain in achieving functional RGC repopulation and vision restoration.
• The RReSTORe Consortium provides a comprehensive roadmap for advancing RGC repopulation.
• Multidisciplinary collaboration is crucial for transformative progress in treating optic neuropathies.