Table 4 Future directions for inner retinal wiring (SDG4)
Research Area | Future Goals |
|---|---|
Role of non-neuronal cells | Investigate how macroglia (Müller glia and astrocytes) and microglia modulate neural activity and contribute to synaptic plasticity in healthy retinas, disease states, and following RGC transplantation |
Pathways underlying circuit development and integration | Identify the cell-intrinsic and extrinsic cues that underlie IPL patterning and circuit development and leverage this information to develop interventions that promote donor RGC integration into these circuits |
Visual information processing | Use advanced imaging technologies and optical electrophysiology (e.g., two-photon and light-sheet microscopy) to study the dynamics of retinal circuits and how they respond to changes in visual stimuli. Leverage this information to better understand the mechanisms by which the inner retina processes visual information and how donor RGCs may be contributing to visual processing |
Optogenetics | Employ optogenetics to selectively activate or inhibit specific cell types in the retina, enabling the study of individual neurons and their interactions with other cells |