TY - GEN
T1 - Development of a chemical retinal prosthesis
T2 - 2013 35th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC 2013
AU - Rountree, Corey M.
AU - Inayat, Samsoon
AU - Troy, John B.
AU - Saggere, Laxman
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - Retinal degenerative diseases cause partial or total blindness and affect millions of people worldwide, yet currently have no treatment. Retinal prostheses using electrical stimulation are being developed but face significant problems moving forward. Here we propose using chemical stimulation, via the neurotransmitter glutamate, to modulate retinal ganglion cell (RGC) spike rates. Our results demonstrate that it is feasible to stimulate RGCs in an explanted retina using focal ejections of glutamate from either subretinal or epiretinal sides. Preliminary evidence suggests we are primarily activating RGCs as opposed to bipolar cells. This is an important first step in the development of a chemical retinal prosthesis based on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology.
AB - Retinal degenerative diseases cause partial or total blindness and affect millions of people worldwide, yet currently have no treatment. Retinal prostheses using electrical stimulation are being developed but face significant problems moving forward. Here we propose using chemical stimulation, via the neurotransmitter glutamate, to modulate retinal ganglion cell (RGC) spike rates. Our results demonstrate that it is feasible to stimulate RGCs in an explanted retina using focal ejections of glutamate from either subretinal or epiretinal sides. Preliminary evidence suggests we are primarily activating RGCs as opposed to bipolar cells. This is an important first step in the development of a chemical retinal prosthesis based on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84886551360&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84886551360&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/EMBC.2013.6610205
DO - 10.1109/EMBC.2013.6610205
M3 - Conference contribution
C2 - 24110392
AN - SCOPUS:84886551360
SN - 9781457702167
T3 - Proceedings of the Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBS
SP - 3134
EP - 3137
BT - 2013 35th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC 2013
Y2 - 3 July 2013 through 7 July 2013
ER -