Retina Cells Pass Off Worn Out Neurons for Disposal

Recent research led by scientists at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine challenges the basic principle that cells function like self-cleaning ovens, chewing up and recycling their worn out parts as needed; and found that some nerve cells in the eye pass off their old energy producing factories to a neighboring support cells to be “eaten.” The findings have implications for Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, amytrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other diseases that involve a buildup of waste in the brain cells. During the study, researchers used cutting-edge electron microscopy technology to reconstruct 3D images of activity in the optic nerve head, and found astrocytes breaking down large numbers of mitochondria from neighboring retinal ganglion cells. “This was a very surprising study for us, because the findings go against the common understanding that each cell takes cares of its own trash,” said a lead author of the study. The implications of the study reach beyond the optic nerve head because buildup of “garbage” inside cells causes neurodegenerative diseases, and can open up the potential to further investigate more cellular parts, other than mitochondria. To read more about this study, click here.