Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER ONE
Neurotrophic Factors and the
Regeneration of Adult Retinal
Ganglion Cell Axons
,1
, Jacob Wei Wei Ooi
*
, Jennifer Rodger
†
*
School of Anatomy, Physiology, and Human Biology, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands,
Western Australia, Australia
†
Experimental and Regenerative Neuroscience, School of Animal Biology, The University of Western
Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
1
Corresponding author: e-mail address: alan.harvey@uwa.edu.au
Alan R. Harvey
*
Contents
1.
Introduction
2
2. Trophic Dependence of RGCs During Development
3
3. Axonal Regeneration: Optic Nerve Injuries
5
4. Receptors and Miscellaneous Signaling Pathways that Influence Axonal
Regeneration
7
5. Exogenous Neurotrophic Factors and RGC Axonal Regeneration
9
6. Mode of Delivery: Recombinant Factors
10
7. Neurotrophic Support and Autologous PN Grafts
11
8. Nonviral Delivery Systems for Neurotrophic Factors
12
9. Cellular Delivery of Neurotrophic Factors
13
10. Viral Vector Delivery of Neurotrophic Factors
14
11. Combined Gene Therapy and Pharmacotherapy
16
12. Administration of Neurotrophic Factors to the Axonal Growth Environment
17
13. Axonal Regeneration and Optic Tract Injury Studies
18
14.
Indirect Actions of Neurotrophic Factors
21
15. Conclusions
22
References
23
Abstract
The adult central nervous system (CNS) has only a limited capacity to regenerate axons
after injury. This is due to a number of factors including the presence of extrinsic inhib-
itory factors that limit plasticity, lack of effective trophic support, and intrinsic changes in
neuronal responsiveness. In this review, we describe the expression and role of neuro-
trophins in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) during development and adulthood, and the
receptors and miscellaneous signaling systems that influence axonal regeneration after
injury. The impact of exogenous neurotrophic factors on adult RGCs injured at different
sites in the visual pathway is described for several modes of delivery,
including
