Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of vision loss worldwide. The disease affects retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells, which support and maintain the health of the rods and cones responsible for vision. However, studying AMD has been challenging because recreating the aging environment of the human eye in the laboratory is difficult.

Researchers at Utah State University have developed an innovative model that closely mimics the aging process, providing a powerful new tool for studying AMD and other age-related diseases. The research team, led by Associate Professor Elizabeth Vargis, doctoral student Dillon Weatherston, and Associate Professor Justin Jones, created a tunable membrane derived from hagfish proteins that simulates age-related changes in eye tissue.

Using this platform, the researchers observed how RPE cells responded to aging-like conditions and successfully reproduced key early features of AMD, including fatty deposits and protein markers associated with disease progression. Remarkably, cells grown on the model for just one month exhibited changes similar to those that occur in the human eye over decades.

The findings, published in GeroScience, represent a significant advance not only in AMD research but also in the broader study of aging. The model offers researchers a more accurate way to investigate disease mechanisms and evaluate potential therapies before clinical testing.

The technology is also at the center of MyxTek Bio, a Utah State University spin-out company focused on commercializing the platform. Supported by funding recommendations from the National Science Foundation, the team has filed a patent application and aims to accelerate the development of more effective treatments for AMD.

The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Retina Research Foundation, and Utah State University's Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Research Center.

Source: https://www.usu.edu/today/story/a-new-vision-how-utah-state-bioengineering-researchers-are-changing-the-outlook-for-aging-eyes