Novel Globin Proteins in the Retina and in the Brain, a functional assessment towards Human relevance
Lead Research Organisation:
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
Department Name: Institute of Ophthalmology
Abstract
Background
There are many diseases that affect the human eyes, brain and nerves and hence, their essential functions;
Retina; including vision in light and dark, timing of the body clock (circadian rhythm)
Brain; thought, mood, sleep, body clock control via nerves of movement, organs of the body, regulation of functions such as hormone secretion.
Nerves: connections within and between the brain, eyes and all organs
The rationale for the research
The cells within the retina, brain and nerves work very hard at the limits of oxygen stress and consumption, and yet somehow they manage to function for a lifetimes duration.
Eye diseases lead to vision loss and brain and nerve diseases lead to loss of normal functions including: thought, movement, day-night rhythm, hormonal secretion, Sleep-wake, mood and may other functions that lead to disability.
Haemoglobin (in blood) and Myoglobin (muscle) are important and well studied members of the Globin superfamily. These Globins efficiently bind and deliver large amounts of oxygen to cells. Discovering their presence and then working out their functions were major milestones in understanding how disease occurred and therefore inventing therapies to improve health.
Neuroglobin and Cytoglobin were very recently discovered, although they had been present for hundreds of millions of years. These two proteins are found in the retina, brain and nerves and in some other tissues, where they may be involved in oxygen transport facilitation, glycolysis or enzymatic activity.
Potential Benefits
If we can carry out research that helps to understand why Neuroglobin and Cytoglobin are present the retina, brain and nerves we may be able to work towards therapy for diseases that affect the retina (causing vision loss) and brain (causing loss of function, such as dementia, mood and sleep disorders).
There are many diseases that affect the human eyes, brain and nerves and hence, their essential functions;
Retina; including vision in light and dark, timing of the body clock (circadian rhythm)
Brain; thought, mood, sleep, body clock control via nerves of movement, organs of the body, regulation of functions such as hormone secretion.
Nerves: connections within and between the brain, eyes and all organs
The rationale for the research
The cells within the retina, brain and nerves work very hard at the limits of oxygen stress and consumption, and yet somehow they manage to function for a lifetimes duration.
Eye diseases lead to vision loss and brain and nerve diseases lead to loss of normal functions including: thought, movement, day-night rhythm, hormonal secretion, Sleep-wake, mood and may other functions that lead to disability.
Haemoglobin (in blood) and Myoglobin (muscle) are important and well studied members of the Globin superfamily. These Globins efficiently bind and deliver large amounts of oxygen to cells. Discovering their presence and then working out their functions were major milestones in understanding how disease occurred and therefore inventing therapies to improve health.
Neuroglobin and Cytoglobin were very recently discovered, although they had been present for hundreds of millions of years. These two proteins are found in the retina, brain and nerves and in some other tissues, where they may be involved in oxygen transport facilitation, glycolysis or enzymatic activity.
Potential Benefits
If we can carry out research that helps to understand why Neuroglobin and Cytoglobin are present the retina, brain and nerves we may be able to work towards therapy for diseases that affect the retina (causing vision loss) and brain (causing loss of function, such as dementia, mood and sleep disorders).
