Mller Cells in the Healthy and Diseased Retina [Hardcover]

M?ller cells may be used in the future for novel therapeutic strategies to protect neurons against apoptosis (for example, somatic gene therapy), or to differentiate retinal neurons from M?ller/stem cells. Meanwhile, a proper understanding of the gliotic responses of M?ller cells in the diseased retina, and of their protective vs. detrimental effects, is essential for the development of efficient therapeutic strategies that use and stimulate the neuron-supportive/-protective - and prevent the destructive - mechanisms of gliosis.

M?ller glial cells ensheath all retinal neurons in vertebrate retinae. There are a multitude of functional interactions between neurons and M?ller cells, including delivery of the light stimuli to the photoreceptor cells in the inverted vertebrate retina, a 'metabolic symbiosis' with the neurons, and the processing of visual information. M?ller cells are also responsible for the maintenance of the homeostasis of the retinal extracellular milieu (ions, water, neuro?transmitter molecules, and pH). In vascularized retinae, M?ller cells may also be involved in the control of angiogenesis, and the regulation of retinal blood flow. Virtually every disease of the retina is associated with a reactive M?ller cell gliosis which, on the one hand, supports the survival of retinal neurons but, on the other hand, may accelerate the progress of neuronal degeneration:

M?ller glial cells ensheath all retinal neurons in vertebrate retinae. There are a multitude of functional interactions between neurons and M?ller cells, including delivery of the light stimuli to the photoreceptor cells in the inverted vertebrate retina, a 'metabolic symbiosis' with the neurons, and the processing of visual information. M?ller cells are also responsible for the maintenance of the homeostasis of the retinal extracellular milieu (ions, water, neuro?transmitter molecules, and pH). In vascularized retinae, M?ller cells may also be involved in the controll1