Brent Young

All Publications

• Retinal ganglion cell repopulation for vision restoration in optic neuropathy: a roadmap from the RReSTORe Consortium. Molecular neurodegeneration Soucy, J. R., Aguzzi, E. A., Cho, J., Gilhooley, M. J., Keuthan, C., Luo, Z., Monavarfeshani, A., Saleem, M. A., Wang, X., Wohlschlegel, J., RReSTORe Consortium, Baranov, P., Di Polo, A., Fortune, B., Gokoffski, K. K., Goldberg, J. L., Guido, W., Kolodkin, A. L., Mason, C. A., Ou, Y., Reh, T. A., Ross, A. G., Samuels, B. C., Welsbie, D., Zack, D. J., Johnson, T. V., Fouda, A. Y., Ashok, A., Moshiri, A., Chedotal, A., Reed, A. A., Askary, A., Su, A. A., La Torre, A., Jalligampala, A., Silva-Lepe, A., Das, A., Wirostko, B., Frankfort, B. J., Sivyer, B., Alapure, B., Young, B., Clark, B., Jones, B. W., Hellmer, C., Mitchell, C., Ufongene, C., Goldman, D., Feldheim, D., Gutmann, D. H., Calkins, D. J., Krizaj, D., Gamm, D. M., Lozano, D. C., Bovenkamp, D. E., Chen, D. F., Cordero, E. V., Trakhtenberg, E. F., Tian, F., Zhou, F., McLellan, G. J., Quigley, H. A., Serhan, H. A., Tribble, J. R., Meyer, J., Gross, J., Mumm, J. S., Sivak, J. M., Zhang, J. S., Do, J. L., Crowston, J., Chen, J., McGregor, J., Vinnakota, K. C., Huang, K., Peynshaert, K., Uyhazi, K. E., Martin, K., Muller, K., Park, K. K., Cho, K., Chang, K., Benowitz, L., Levin, L. A., Todd, L., De Groef, L., Moons, L., Alarcon-Martinez, L., Singh, M. S., Vidal-Sanz, M., Silveira, M. S., Pavlou, M., Veldman, M. B., Van Hook, M., Samuel, M., Hu, M., Peng, M., Young, M., Cayouette, M., Geranmayeh, M. H., Woodworth, M., Vetter, M., Marsh-Armstrong, N. R., Williams, P. A., Rasiah, P. K., Subramanian, P., Cui, Q. N., Sappington, R. M., Amine, R., Eva, R., Johnston, R. J., Giger, R. J., Ethier, R., Abed, S., Momin, S. N., Blackshaw, S., Liddelow, S. A., Mary, S., Atolagbe, S., Varadarajan, S., Nabhan, T. I., Khatib, T., Sharma, T. P., Brunner, T., Greenwell, T., Rex, T. S., Watkins, T., Badea, T. C., Vrathasha, V., Chavali, V. R., Oliveira-Valenca, V. M., Tai, W. L., Batchelor, W. M., Yang, X., Park, Y., Pan, Y. 2023; 18 (1): 64

  Abstract

  Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death in glaucoma and other optic neuropathies results in irreversible vision loss due to the mammalian central nervous system's limited regenerative capacity. RGC repopulation is a promising therapeutic approach to reverse vision loss from optic neuropathies if the newly introduced neurons can reestablish functional retinal and thalamic circuits. In theory, RGCs might be repopulated through the transplantation of stem cell-derived neurons or via the induction of endogenous transdifferentiation. The RGC Repopulation, Stem Cell Transplantation, and Optic Nerve Regeneration (RReSTORe) Consortium was established to address the challenges associated with the therapeutic repair of the visual pathway in optic neuropathy. In 2022, the RReSTORe Consortium initiated ongoing international collaborative discussions to advance the RGC repopulation field and has identified five critical areas of focus: (1) RGC development and differentiation, (2) Transplantation methods and models, (3) RGC survival, maturation, and host interactions, (4) Inner retinal wiring, and (5) Eye-to-brain connectivity. Here, we discuss the most pertinent questions and challenges that exist on the path to clinical translation and suggest experimental directions to propel this work going forward. Using these five subtopic discussion groups (SDGs) as a framework, we suggest multidisciplinary approaches to restore the diseased visual pathway by leveraging groundbreaking insights from developmental neuroscience, stem cell biology, molecular biology, optical imaging, animal models of optic neuropathy, immunology & immunotolerance, neuropathology & neuroprotection, materials science & biomedical engineering, and regenerative neuroscience. While significant hurdles remain, the RReSTORe Consortium's efforts provide a comprehensive roadmap for advancing the RGC repopulation field and hold potential for transformative progress in restoring vision in patients suffering from optic neuropathies.

  View details for DOI 10.1186/s13024-023-00655-y

  View details for PubMedID 37735444

• An uncommon neuronal class conveys visual signals from rods and cones to retinal ganglion cells. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Young, B. K., Ramakrishnan, C., Ganjawala, T., Wang, P., Deisseroth, K., Tian, N. 2021; 118 (44)

  Abstract

  Neurons in the central nervous system (CNS) are distinguished by the neurotransmitter types they release, their synaptic connections, morphology, and genetic profiles. To fully understand how the CNS works, it is critical to identify all neuronal classes and reveal their synaptic connections. The retina has been extensively used to study neuronal development and circuit formation. Here, we describe a previously unidentified interneuron in mammalian retina. This interneuron shares some morphological, physiological, and molecular features with retinal bipolar cells, such as receiving input from photoreceptors and relaying visual signals to retinal ganglion cells. It also shares some features with amacrine cells (ACs), particularly Aii-ACs, such as their neurite morphology in the inner plexiform layer, the expression of some AC-specific markers, and possibly the release of the inhibitory neurotransmitter glycine. Thus, we unveil an uncommon interneuron, which may play an atypical role in vision.

  View details for DOI 10.1073/pnas.2104884118

  View details for PubMedID 34702737

• NMDA receptor activity regulates synaptic connections between retinal ganglion and bipolar cells Young, B., Sanchez, C., Ramakrishnan, C., Wang, P., Deisseroth, K., Tian, N. ASSOC RESEARCH VISION OPHTHALMOLOGY INC. 2018

  View details for Web of Science ID 000442912505173

• An unique subtype of BCs provides excitatory input to both ON and OFF synaptic pathways from both rods and cones in the retina Tian, N., Young, B., Ramakrishnan, C., Wang, P., Deisseroth, K., Ganjawala, T. H., Pan, Z. ASSOC RESEARCH VISION OPHTHALMOLOGY INC. 2018

  View details for Web of Science ID 000442912509023

• Retinal ganglion cell subtype specific circuits in retina Tian, N., Young, B., Huang, K., Wang, P., Ramakrishnan, C., Deisseroth, K. ASSOC RESEARCH VISION OPHTHALMOLOGY INC. 2016

  View details for Web of Science ID 000394210603383

• From the retina to the brain: retinal ganglion cell subtype specific visual circuits Young, B., Wang, P., Ramakrishnan, C., Deisseroth, K., Tian, N. ASSOC RESEARCH VISION OPHTHALMOLOGY INC. 2016

  View details for Web of Science ID 000394210201132