Some animals, like zebrafish, can regenerate parts of their retinas—but humans and other mammals, that kind of repair has long seemed impossible.

Now, scientists at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) have made a discovery that could change that. Their research, published in Nature Communications, may offer a way to restore vision by prompting the retina to regenerate nerve cells lost in degenerative diseases like retinitis pigmentosa.

The team focused on Müller glia—support cells in the retina that can transform into new neurons in fish, but not in mammals. The reason? In mammals, a protein called PROX1, produced by damaged retinal nerve cells, enters Müller glia and blocks regeneration. In fish, PROX1 isn–t present in these cells—allowing regeneration to occur.

To overcome this barrier, the KAIST team developed an antibody therapy that blocks PROX1 from entering Müller glia. In mouse models of retinitis pigmentosa, the treatment reactivated the cells– regenerative ability and led to the return of both retinal structure and visual function.

The potential therapy is now being further developed by biotech company Celliaz, which plans to continue preclinical studies with the goal of advancing to human clinical trials in the future.

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