Red‐shifted channelrhodopsin stimulation restores light responses in blind mice, macaque retina, and human retina

• Published in: EMBO molecular medicine Vol. 8; no. 11; pp. 1248 - 1264
• Main Authors: Sengupta, Abhishek, Chaffiol, Antoine, Macé, Emilie, Caplette, Romain, Desrosiers, Mélissa, Lampič, Maruša, Forster, Valérie, Marre, Olivier, Lin, John Y, Sahel, José‐Alain, Picaud, Serge, Dalkara, Deniz, Duebel, Jens
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.11.2016; EMBO Press; Wiley Open Access; John Wiley and Sons Inc; Springer Nature
• Subjects: Animals; channelrhodopsin; Cortex; Dependovirus - genetics; EMBO16; EMBO27; Experiments; Genetic Therapy - methods; Genetic Vectors; Human health and pathology; Humans; Lentivirus - genetics; Life Sciences; Light; Macaca; Membranes; Mice; Microscopy; optogenetics; Photoreceptors; Phototherapy - methods; primate; Research Article; Retina; Retina - physiology; Retinal degeneration; Retinal Degeneration - therapy; Retinal ganglion cells; Rhodopsin - genetics; Rhodopsin - metabolism; Sensory Organs; Transduction, Genetic; Treatment Outcome; vision restoration; primate; vision restoration; channelrhodopsin; retina; optogenetics; Gene Therapy & Genetic Disease

Targeting the photosensitive ion channel channelrhodopsin‐2 (ChR2) to the retinal circuitry downstream of photoreceptors holds promise in treating vision loss caused by retinal degeneration. However, the high intensity of blue light necessary to activate channelrhodopsin‐2 exceeds the safety thresho...