Aging and Regeneration

Aging is a major barrier to neuronal regeneration. Our work shows that aged Müller glia are less able to enter neurogenic states and instead mount a heightened reactive and inflammatory response, while the aged retina exhibits an exaggerated immune response to injury. Importantly, suppressing this inflammation can partially restore regenerative capacity. Moving forward, we are identifying the specific immune-derived signals that limit regeneration with age and defining how aging reshapes the epigenomic and chromatin landscape of glia during reprogramming.