Blindness can be caused by retinal degeneration and a consequent inability to interpret incoming light stimuli. Although several promising repair strategies have been proposed, they are all invasive and not without complications. Here, the authors described a novel approach involving 'photoswitch' compounds that enable neuronally expressed voltage-gated ion channels to become photosensitive. In a mouse model of retinal degeneration, the photoswitch DENAQ restored retinal photoreception with negligible toxicity, suggesting that it holds promise for retinal repair in humans.
References
Tochitsky, I. et al. Restoring visual function to blind mice with a photoswitch that exploits electrophysiological remodeling of retinal ganglion cells. Neuron 81, 800–813 (2014)
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Lewis, S. Switching on the light. Nat Rev Neurosci 15, 204 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3717
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3717