This research has shown that the optic nerve's self-healing capabilities can be unlocked.
A recent groundbreaking study offers hope for glaucoma patients by uncovering a potential method to regenerate retinal nerve cells, previously thought impossible in mammals. South Korean researchers successfully tested an experimental antibody drug in mice that blocks a specific protein, Prox1, known to inhibit nerve regeneration in the eye.
Prox1 usually prevents Müller glia (MG) cells—natural retinal support cells—from healing nerve damage in mammals. By blocking Prox1, Müller glia cells regained the ability to regenerate damaged retinal cells, leading to restored vision in mouse models. Impressively, these regenerative effects lasted at least six months, marking the first successful long-term nerve regeneration observed in mammals.
Though human trials are still a few years away, possibly beginning by 2028, this discovery identifies a critical barrier in human retinal regeneration and how it can potentially be overcome. This novel approach could transform treatment options for glaucoma and other degenerative retinal diseases, giving hope to millions affected by vision loss worldwide.
Source: https://www.sciencealert.com/experimental-drug-tested-in-mice-repairs-the-eye-to-restore-vision