Researchers Detail How Neurons Build a 3-D Vascular Structure to Keep the Retina Healthy

Scientists have known for years that a lattice of blood vessels nourishes cells in the retina that allow us to see – but it’s been a mystery how the intricate structure is created. Now, researchers at University of California San Francisco have found a new type of neuron that guides its formation.

Researchers say the discovery, described in the May 23, 2024 issue of Cell, could one day lead to new therapies for diseases that are related to impaired blood flow in the eyes and brain.

“This is the first time anyone has seen retinal neurons using direct contact with blood vessels as a way of guiding them to form these precise 3-D lattices,” said Xin Duan, PhD, an associate professor of ophthalmology and senior author of the study. “This brings us closer to the possibility of repairing them when they’re damaged or rerouting them when they weren’t built right in the first place.”

Read the UC San Francisco article here.