Researchers Find Cells Linked to Leading Cause of Blindness in Seniors

A study in Nature Communications found glial and vasculature cells contribute to macular degeneration, a leading cause of vision loss among seniors, reports Medical Xpress . "This study helps pinpoint cell types that can be investigated closely to develop new types of therapeutics," said Yale University Professor Brian Hafler. Although the wet form of macular degeneration can be ameliorated by regular eye injections, no effective treatment, other than eye vitamin supplements, exists for the dry form of the disease. The researchers employed a new single-cell sequencing technique to produce the first comprehensive human retinal atlas, and data analysis technology to map the effects of genes associated with the risk of developing macular degeneration on specific cell types linked to the disease. The team found risk genes associated with the cone cells, as well as a connection to glial and vascular cells.