Mitochondria Transplantation Preserves Retinal Ganglion Cells and Promotes CNS Axonal Regeneration - PubMed
5 hours ago
- #neuroregeneration
- #CNS repair
- #mitotherapy
- Mitochondrial transplantation, or mitotherapy, preserves retinal ganglion cell (RGC) survival and promotes axonal regeneration in the central nervous system (CNS).
- In aging or injured RGCs, deficits in mitochondrial biogenesis, fission-fusion balance, and mitophagy contribute to dysfunction.
- Transplanted functional mitochondria restore mitochondrial homeostasis, improve energy production, reduce reactive oxygen species, and enhance neurite outgrowth in vitro.
- Inhibition of mitochondrial fusion dampens these effects, highlighting the importance of fusion-dependent integration of exogenous mitochondria.
- In an optic nerve crush model in adult mice, intravitreal delivery of mitochondria leads to integration into RGCs, improved survival, electrophysiological responses, and axonal regeneration across the lesion site.
- The findings suggest mitochondrial transplantation rescues bioenergetic failure and supports pro-regenerative neuronal activity, offering potential for treating neurodegenerative eye diseases and CNS injuries.