Gene and cell therapy has also been investigated in rd6 mice, and intravitreal injection of genetically engineered bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) deigned to overexpress brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) resulted in rescue from the chronic degenerative process of slow retinal degeneration in recipient rd6 mice41. Here, BDNF is linked to retinal degeneration.