Retinal Plasticity: Migration and Rewiring of the Retinal Neurons

We recently discovered that adult mammalian retina has remarkable potential for restorative plasticity: after selective photocoagulation of photoreceptors, inner retinal neurons extend their processes and establish new synaptic connections to photoreceptors at the edges of the lesion, thereby restoring retinal responses to light, including ON and OFF pathways.

We study the mechanisms of retinal plasiticity, its dynamics and selectivity, and develop technologies for transplantation of photoreceptors for restoration of sight to patients blinded by retinal degeneration.