Figure 5.

Optogenetic induction of light sensitivity in inner retinal cells. As bipolar and ganglion cell layers often remain relatively intact in retinal degenerations, light sensitivity may be induced in these neuronal cell types through viral vector-mediated delivery of opsins, e.g., channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2), channelrhodopsin-CrimsonR, halorhodopsin, or multicharacteristic-opsin (MCO). Current clinical trials of optogenetic therapies utilise adeno-associated viral vectors which can efficiently transduce retinal ganglion cells, bipolar cells, and some remaining cone cell bodies in vivo.