REGENERATIVE CAPACITY OF RETINAL GANGLION-CELLS IN MAMMALS

Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their projections in the optic nerve offer a convenient model to study survival and regeneration of mammal ian central nervous system (CNS) nerve cells following injury. Possibl e factors affecting the death of RGCs following axotomy and various ap proaches to rescue the axotomized RGCs are discussed. In addition, two main strategies currently used to enhance axonal regeneration of dama ged RGCs are described. The first focuses on overcoming the unfavorabl e extrinsic CNS environment and the second concentrates on upregulatin g the intrinsic growth potential of RGCs. Thus, the failure or success of RGC axonal regrowth after injury depends on the complicated interp lay between the extrinsic and intrinsic factors. (C) 1998 Elsevier Sci ence Ltd. All rights reserved.