Biologic scaffolds composed of central nervous system extracellular matrix

…, CJ Medberry, JE Reing, S Tottey, Y van der Merwe… - Biomaterials, 2012 - Elsevier
Acellular biologic scaffolds are commonly used to facilitate the constructive remodeling of
three of the four traditional tissue types: connective, epithelial, and muscle tissues. However, …

[HTML][HTML] Extracellular vesicles: biomarkers, therapeutics, and vehicles in the visual system

Y van der Merwe, MB Steketee - Current Ophthalmology Reports, 2017 - Springer
Purpose We discuss recent advances in extracellular vesicle (EV) technology as biomarkers,
therapeutics, and drug delivery vehicles in the visual system with an emphasis on the retina…

[HTML][HTML] Matrix-bound nanovesicles prevent ischemia-induced retinal ganglion cell axon degeneration and death and preserve visual function

Y van der Merwe, AE Faust, ET Sakalli, CC Westrick… - Scientific reports, 2019 - nature.com
Injury to retinal ganglion cells (RGC), central nervous system neurons that relay visual
information to the brain, often leads to RGC axon degeneration and permanently lost visual …

Urinary bladder extracellular matrix hydrogels and matrix-bound vesicles differentially regulate central nervous system neuron viability and axon growth and …

…, A Kandakatla, Y van der Merwe… - Journal of …, 2017 - journals.sagepub.com
Central nervous system neurons often degenerate after trauma due to the inflammatory
innate immune response to injury, which can lead to neuronal cell death, scarring, and …

[HTML][HTML] Citicoline modulates glaucomatous neurodegeneration through intraocular pressure-independent control

Y van der Merwe, MC Murphy, JR Sims, MA Faiq… - …, 2021 - Elsevier
Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease that causes progressive, irreversible vision loss.
Currently, intraocular pressure (IOP) is the only modifiable risk factor for glaucoma. However, …

Intracameral injection of a chemically cross-linked hydrogel to study chronic neurodegeneration in glaucoma

…, Y Yu, SH Ng, HK Mak, YWY Yip, Y van der Merwe… - Acta biomaterialia, 2019 - Elsevier
Investigation of neurodegeneration in glaucoma, a leading cause of irreversible blindness
worldwide, has been obfuscated by the lack of an efficient model that provides chronic, mild to …

[HTML][HTML] Age-related changes in eye, brain and visuomotor behavior in the DBA/2J mouse model of chronic glaucoma

XL Yang, Y Van Der Merwe, J Sims, C Parra, LC Ho… - Scientific reports, 2018 - nature.com
Although elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) and age are major risk factors for glaucoma,
their effects on glaucoma pathogenesis remain unclear. This study examined the onset and …

Developing extracellular matrix technology to treat retinal or optic nerve injury

T Ren, Y van der Merwe, MB Steketee - ENeuro, 2015 - eneuro.org
Adult mammalian CNS neurons often degenerate after injury, leading to lost neurologic
functions. In the visual system, retinal or optic nerve injury often leads to retinal ganglion cell …

Whole-globe biomechanics using high-field MRI

…, LC Ho, NJ Jan, H Tran, Y van der Merwe… - Experimental eye …, 2017 - Elsevier
The eye is a complex structure composed of several interconnected tissues acting together,
across the whole globe, to resist deformation due to intraocular pressure (IOP). However, …

[HTML][HTML] Non-invasive MRI assessments of tissue microstructures and macromolecules in the eye upon biomechanical or biochemical modulation

LC Ho, IA Sigal, NJ Jan, X Yang, Y Van Der Merwe… - Scientific reports, 2016 - nature.com
The microstructural organization and composition of the corneoscleral shell (CSS) determine
the biomechanical behavior of the eye, and are important in diseases such as glaucoma …