CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF PHOTORECEPTORS

IN HEALTH AND DISEASE

January - March, 2006

Lectures: 9:00-10:30 a.m. Round Tables: 10:30-12 noon

Maumenee 501 Conference Room

Course Description

Adler

I. RATIONALE BEHIND THE COURSE

    • Photoreceptors have unique pathology and a peculiar susceptibility to injury. Photoreceptor degenerations are a very common cause of visual loss and blindness.
    • There are many cellular and biochemical phenomena which are unique to photoreceptor cells. There has been substantial progress in their characterization using a variety of techniques, including molecular biology.
    • In spite of this progress, the mechanisms that lead to photoreceptor degeneration remain essentially unknown.
    • The goal of this course is to stimulate research in basic aspects of cell and molecular biology of the photoreceptor cells not only because of their intrinsic scientific value, but also because they are likely to generate new strategies for the prevention and/or treatment of blinding disorders.

II. SOME ORGANIZATIONAL ASPECTS

1. A. Schedule: lectures will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-10:30 a.m. The Round Tables (a requirement only for participants taking the course for credit) will be on the second, fourth, sixth and eighth Thursdays, from 10:30 a.m.- 12 Noon. All activities will be in the Maumenee 501 lecture room.

B. Lecture format: A multi-speaker course has the advantage of offering a series of complementary approaches and perspectives. On the other hand, there is also more diversity in the format of the lectures, because each speaker has his/her own lecturing style. There is also going to be variability among the speakers regarding handouts and recommended reading material. Participants are encouraged to ask as many questions as possible, both during and at the end of the lectures.

C. Round Tables

1. Round Table participation is a requirement for students taking the course for credit, who will receive before each Round Table one or more research articles. Students will be asked to summarize their content, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and discuss their implications.

2. Round Tables will also be open to a limited number of people auditing the course. Interested persons should inform the Course Director of their intention to participate in the Round Table.

D. Evaluation of students taking the course for credit will be based on their participation in classes and Round Tables.

- COURSE SCHEDULE -

Adler

January

17 Development and organization of the retina, with emphasis on the outer retina (Ruben Adler)

19 Cell biology of rods and cones (Ruben Adler)

24 RPE and Muller cells (Peter Campochiaro)

26 Genetic, metabolic and biochemical bases of photoreceptor susceptibility to injury(Ruben Adler)

26 Round Table journal discussions

31 RPE and Muller cells II, retinal detachment (Peter Campochiaro)

February

2 Molecular mechanisms in Drosophila photoreceptor development (Craig Montell)

7 Phototransduction and photoreceptor degenerations in Drosophila (Craig Montell)

9 Electroretinography, rod and cone response dynamics (Robert Massof)

9 Round Table journal discussions

14 Phototransduction and visual cycle (King-Wai Yau)

16 The integration of molecular biology to clinical concepts of age-related macular degeneration (Jim Handa)

21 Dark adaptation, spectral sensitivity and color mixture (Robert Massof)

23 Defects in visual pigments responsible for abnormalities of rod and cone vision (Jeremy Nathans)

23 Round Table journal discussions

28 Retinitis pigmentosa and related conditions (clinical aspects) (Daniel Finkelstein)

March

2 Gyrate atrophy (David Valle)

7 Therapeutic approaches: Gene therapy (Don Zack)

9 Strategies for the identification of genetic abnormalities responsible for retinal degenerations (Donald Zack)

9 Round Table journal discussions

14 Animal Models of RP and AMD (Nick Marsh-Armstrong)

16 Therapeutic approaches: Trophic factors, stem cells and retinal transplantation (Ruben Adler)