Intraocular transplantation and regeneration of retinofugal pathways in rodents

Funding Activity

Website
http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/110205

Funding Status
Closed

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Funded Activity Summary

In the adult human brain and spinal cord there is little or no intrinsic capacity for replacement of lost or dying neurons, and there is minimal spontaneous repair of nerve fibre pathways. Thus traumatic injuries, stroke, or loss of neurons due to chronic degenerative disease result in functional impairments that are usually severe and long-lasting. The personal, social and economic costs associated with these neurological problems are enormous. New ways must be found of protecting and-or replenishing nerve cells in damaged CNS gray matter, and new methods are also required to help reconstruct fibre tracts after injury. Using the visual system as an experimental model, the aims of the proposed work are to develop novel transplantation and surgical strategies to: (i) Incorporate new cells into retinae that have been selectively depleted of endogenous neurons (ii) Promote the effective regeneration of large numbers of adult retinal axons through prosthetic peripheral nerve bridging grafts and into host CNS distal to the injury. The results obtained from the first series of studies will not only be of direct relevance to the future treatment of human retinal degenerative disorders, but will also increase our overall understanding of how best to ensure the differentiation and stable integration of different types of transplanted cells within the compromised host CNS. The second series of experiments should lead to an entirely new approach to nerve pathway reconstruction, relevant to both brain and spinal cord injuries. The ultimate aim of this experimental work is to improve the management and treatment of human CNS injury and disease, leading to better functional recovery and rehabilitation.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2000

End Date: 01-01-2002

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $370,937.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Medical infection agents (incl. prions)

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

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Other Keywords

Degenerative neuronal loss in the CNS | Intraocular transplantation and cell replacement | Neuronal degeneration and CNS injury | Peripheral nerve transplantation | Recovery of neurological function | Regeneration of CNS axons | Repair of damaged brain tissue | Retinal degeneration and blindness | Retinal ganglion cells | Traumatic CNS injuries

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