Meet Striatech at the 2023 SfN Neuroscience meeting in Washington, D.C., November 11-15. Stop by our booth #1339 and see our OptoDrum, Photorefractor and Keratometer devices in action!
Neuroprotective Properties of Vitamin C Show Supporting Effects in Treating Glaucoma Patients
In their recent paper, Song Li and Tatjana C. Jakobs (Harvard Schepens Eye Research Institute) show how they have identified Vitamin C as a potential neuroprotective substance that could be used clinically in patients suffering from glaucoma. Striatech’s OptoDrum was used as readout tool for visual performance.
Euretina Congress in Amsterdam | October 5-8
Meet us at the 2023 Euretina Congress in Amsterdam and see our OptoDrum, Photorefractor and Keratometer in action! October 5 – 8
Symposium: Opportunities, Hopes, and Challenges in Translating Visual Restoration from Mouse to Human
Striatech celebrates its 5th anniversary with a top-class Symposium on the topic of translating visual restoration from mouse to human. Presentations will be given by Professor Eberhart Zrenner (University of Tübingen), Professor Constance Cepko (Harvard Medical School) and Miikka Terho (Pioneer Retina Implant Patient, Finland). In addition, the speakers will highlight important aspects and directions in this area of research in a moderated panel discussion.
Stage-Dependent Changes of Visual Function and Electrical Response of the Retina in the rd10 Mouse Model
Cha et al characterize the rd10 mouse model at the level of behavior (optomotor reflex with our OptoDrum), as well as ex-vivo spike recordings of ganglion cells to light stimulation and electrical stimulation. Thy find that the retina responds differently to electrical stimulation depending on the stage of degeneration.
Neurovascular injury associated non-apoptotic endothelial caspase-9 and astroglial caspase-9 mediate inflammation and contrast sensitivity decline
Neurovascular injury, such as retinal vein occlusion, triggers expression of endothelial caspase-9 (EC Casp9). EC Casp9 induces pathological changes, including retinal edema, capillary ischemia, and neurodegeneration. One of the behavioral consequences is decline of contrast sensitivity, as shown with our OptoDrum. This paper gives new mechanistic insights into EC Casp9 action.
B cell-dependent EAE induces visual deficits in the mouse with similarities to human autoimmune demyelinating diseases
The experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse model is commonly used to study visual impairments associated with autoimmune demyelinating diseases. EAE is classically induced by immunization with the peptide MOG35-55. This mouse model lacks certain characteristics of analog diseases in humans, in particular the participation of B-cells in the immune response. Joly et al characterize the effects of immunization with a different peptide, bMOG, and find that these mice show hallmarks of common human diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica. This new mouse model therefore offers new avenues to test protective or restorative ophthalmic treatments.
Systemic Treatment with Pioglitazone Reverses Vision Loss in Preclinical Glaucoma Models
In two mouse models of Glaucoma, Zeng et al show that Pioglitazone, given orally, can reduce or even reverse vision loss. Pioglitazone reduces inflammatory responses. The positive effects could be observed even with continued elevation of intraocular pressure, suggesting that the neuroinflammation experienced during Glaucoma may be more harmful than the elevated pressure.
In situ-crosslinked hydrogel-induced experimental glaucoma model with persistent ocular hypertension and neurodegeneration
Lin et al present a new experimental animal model for glaucoma. By injecting a newly formulated hydrogel, they induce consistent intraocular pressure increase.
Chronic Proinflammatory Signaling Accelerates the Rate of Degeneration in a Spontaneous Polygenic Model of Inherited Retinal Dystrophy
Hollingsworth et al describe and characterize a new polygenic mouse model of inherited retinal dystrophies, the BXD32 mouse strain. They present evidence that a proinflammatory environment in the retina supports and accelerates the degeneration of the retina and the loss of visual function.