Figure 1.

Mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Mutations in mitochondrial and nuclear genomes can cause mitochondrial dysfunction via oxidative stress or defective mitophagy. Oxidative stress can also be generated through secondary causes external to the mitochondria, such as hypoxia. Mitochondrial-derived components can act as damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and trigger multiple inflammatory pathways that cause reactive gliosis and RGC loss.