Our Immune System Can “See” 22
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cientists have known for many years that immune cells are in the retina and that their numbers increase in inherited retinal diseases. This increase is also observed in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) that affects millions of people in the U.S. alone.
This study reveals that the immune system is actually needed to help nerve cells in the retina respond appropriately for vision.
A new finding from a research team led by Daniel Saban, PhD, associate professor of ophthalmology, suggests that immune cells that protect us from infection might also help us see, in a study published in the journal Immunity. This study reveals that the immune system is actually needed to help nerve cells in the retina respond appropriately for vision.
The research also showed that these same exact immune cells, called microglia, also protect the retina in inherited diseases that cause blindness in mice.
This work may lead to a new understanding for the causes of vision loss in such inherited retinal diseases in patients, which affects several million worldwide. “Microglia are traditionally thought of in terms of protecting nerves from infection,” says Saban, senior author of the paper. “However, scientists are now appreciating that these immune cells also play key roles in supporting the function of nerves even when there is no infection present.”
