To preserve its transparency so that we can see clearly, the cornea of the eye normally does not contain blood vessels. The mechanism that prevents vessel growth (angiogenesis) in the cornea to maintain this transparency was previously unknown. But Tsutomu Kume (Feinberg Cardiovascular Research Institute, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL), Ordan Lehmann (University of Alberta, Edmonton,ContinueContinue reading “Keeping the cornea clear”
Tag Archives: sensory system
Clearer view of ‘acute’ glaucoma
Glaucoma is a common eye disease and leading cause of blindness. In glaucoma, intraocular pressure (IOP; fluid pressure within the eye) increases, damaging the optic nerve and causing vision loss. The familiar ‘chronic’ subtype of glaucoma develops slowly and may have few symptoms; many of those affected do not know they have the condition untilContinueContinue reading “Clearer view of ‘acute’ glaucoma”
Identifying the sweet smell of success
Olfaction—the sense of smell—may be the oldest and least well understood of the five senses. It alerts us to danger, food and other important matters and is closely linked with brain systems involved in emotion, mood, memory, learning and behavior. Stated in simple terms, our understanding of olfaction is as follows: an odorant activates neuronsContinueContinue reading “Identifying the sweet smell of success”
Shining a light on balance and hearing
Oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau) are commonly used in research on vestibular physiology, the study of balance. Recent research has examined hair cells from the toadfish’s crista ampullaris, a structure in the inner ear that senses and responds to movement of the head. The hair cells convert mechanical vibrations produced by sound, gravity or motion intoContinueContinue reading “Shining a light on balance and hearing”
MicroRNA regulates deafness
Deafness and progressive hearing loss are relatively common in the human population, yet little is known about their genetic basis. But scientists recently identified the molecular mechanism underlying deafness in a mouse model, a discovery that could lead to new treatments for progressive hearing loss. Lab Anim. (NY) 40, 61 (2011). view full text (loginContinueContinue reading “MicroRNA regulates deafness”
New UV switch makes worms move
Get out that disco ball—it seems mutant worms have some brand new moves to show us. New research, led by Kenneth Miller (Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City), looked at phototaxia in Caenorhabditis elegans, which lack eyes as well as any of the proteins known to transduce light signals. The group used C. elegans mutantsContinueContinue reading “New UV switch makes worms move”
Advances in uveitis treatment
Recent experiments in rats have elucidated the mechanism of action underlying uveitis, one of the world’s leading causes of blindness in humans, and have identified a new avenue for its treatment. Uveitis, inflammation of the tissue layer below the outer surface of the eye (uvea), which includes the iris, can be caused by autoimmune disease,ContinueContinue reading “Advances in uveitis treatment”
Sight for blind mice
Collaborators at two major research institutions in the US have shown that gene therapy can target cone cells and rescue electrical response and visual acuity in a mouse model of achromatopsia, a disorder causing hereditary blindness in roughly 1 of every 30,000 humans. Lab Anim. (NY) 36, 8 (2007). view full text (login required) [NOTE:ContinueContinue reading “Sight for blind mice”
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