Department of Neurology, Medical School, Newcastle upon Tyne.
Ptosis is a predominant feature in patients with mtDNA deletions.
Corrective ptosis surgery is cosmetically successfull, but may increase the risk of corneal exposure due to ophthalmoparesis. It has been previously shown that the injection of myotoxic agents or exercise may reduce the level mtDNA mutation, and the associated clinical syptoms, by inducing muscle regeneration from myoblasts. Extraocular muscles have distinct structural and functional properties making them ideal for muscle regeneration studies. These target muscles are easily accessible for direct injection and are sufficiently small that regeneration can be safely induced throughout the majority of its constituent myofibres. If no or low levels of mutation are detected in the satelite cells, extraocular muscle function may therefore be restored through the induction of muscle regeneration.