Scientists find a hidden retinal defense against vision loss
Researchers from Scripps Research, UC San Diego and Lowy Medical Research Institute identified erucamide, a molecule that activates the retina's own protective response. In a study published in Nature Neuroscience on June 19, 2026, restoring erucamide levels slowed photoreceptor degeneration in animal models.
- Erucamide declines as photoreceptors die in retinal degeneration
- Molecule acts on CD11b⁺ immune cells and TMEM19 protein, not photoreceptors
- Delivery via porous silicon nanoparticles stabilized retinal tissue
- Erucamide slowed but did not reverse retinal degeneration
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