In summary, the present study shows that (i) CNTF induces rapid and extensive changes in the transcriptional profile of Müller (glial) cells; (ii) that several genes induced by CNTF in normal Müller cells are also upregulated in gliotic Müller cells from inherited and experimentally-induced retinal degenerations, which suggests that CNTF is an inducer of gliosis in the retina; and (iii) the transcript profiles of Müller cells and astrocytes are similar although they are derived from distinct cell lineages. This evidence concerns the gene CNTF and retinal degeneration.