Unlocking the neurogenic potential of mammalian müller glia

Abstract

Müller glia (MG) are the primary support cells in the vertebrate retina, regulating homeostasis in one of the most metabolically active tissues. In lower vertebrates such as fish, they respond to injury by proliferating and reprogramming to regenerate retinal neurons. In mammals, MG may also react to injury by proliferating, but they fail to initiate regeneration. The barriers to regeneration could be intrinsic to mammalian MG or the function of the niche that cannot support the MG reprogramming required for lineage conversion or both. Understanding these mechanisms in light of those being discovered in fish may lead to the formulation of strategies to unlock the neurogenic potential of MG and restore regeneration in the mammalian retina.