# Molecular mechanisms of retinogeniculate circuit formation

> **NIH NIH R01** · VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INST AND ST UNIV · 2020 · $380,768

## Abstract

Developmental and age-related disorders that affect vision impart a major social and economic burden on the
US economy. Many of these disorders specifically affect neurons that connect the retina (i.e., retinal ganglion
cells [RGCs]) information to the brain. The most common of these disorders is glaucoma, a progressive
neurodegenerative eye disorder that is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the US. Currently, 3
million Americans are living with glaucoma, costing the US economy nearly 3 billion dollars each year.
Glaucoma is not the only disorder that impacts RGCs. Currently there are no effective treatments for patients
with glaucoma. In response to this unmet need, NEI has issued a goal of gaining new knowledge that will
contribute to the development of regenerative therapies aimed at restoring connections between the retina and
brain. To accomplish this goal, we need a better understanding of the mechanisms that drive the formation of
these connections during normal development. Over the past 5 years, we investigated the mechanisms that
drive the growth of retinal axons into appropriate target regions of brain. During this work, we discovered that
retinal synapses in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) are anatomically and functionally distinct from
retinal synapses in all other retino-recipient regions. Because these synapses are crucial for transmitting visual
information to cortex, understanding mechanisms of their formation is essential for restoring subcortical visual
circuit function. With this in mind, the objective of this application aims to identify target-derived cues
responsible for the unique development of retinogeniculate synapses in dLGN. Preliminary experiments
identified Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF1) and Leucine-Rich Repeat Transmembrane Neuronal Protein 1
(LRRTM1) as two synaptogenic cues expressed in dLGN. Here will will use molecular, genetic, anatomical and
physiological approaches to assess roles of these molecules in retinogeniculate circuit formation.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9965925
- **Project number:** 5R01EY021222-10
- **Recipient organization:** VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INST AND ST UNIV
- **Principal Investigator:** MICHAEL A FOX
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $380,768
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2011-09-01 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9965925

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9965925, Molecular mechanisms of retinogeniculate circuit formation (5R01EY021222-10). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9965925. Licensed CC0.

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