NOVEL THERAPEUTICAL TOOLS AND METHODS FOR TREATING BLINDNESS BY TARGETING PHOTORECEPTORS

摘要

The present invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence coding for a depolarizing light-gated ion channel functionally linked to a promoter leading to the specific expression of said depolarizing light-gated ion channel in a retinal photoreceptor, or the nucleotide sequence complementary to said nucleotide sequence, for use in treating or ameliorating blindness. The present invention also relates to methods of using such nucleic acid molecules in the treatment of blindness.