Retina-Vitreous
2012 , Vol 20 , Num 0
Retinal Vascular Development, Retinal Angiogenesis and Growth Factors
M.D. Associate Professor, Konya University, Meram Medical Faculty, Department of Ophthalmology, Konya/TURKEY
Blood vessels that supply the retina with nutrients and oxygen undergoes a series of well programmed changes during development. During early development of the eye, the retina is initially supplied by the choroid and the hyaloidal vessels. However, due to the natural regression of the hyaloidal vasculature, as well as the thickening of the retina due to the final development and differentiation of the neuronal layers, the retina eventually finds itself in a hypoxic environment and must begin to establish its own vascular system. Retinal vascular development critically depends on cell-cell signalling between different cellular components such as neurons, glia, endothelial cells, pericytes and immune cells. During development, retinal blood vessels form three vascular plexuses in a highly reproducible manner, hereby resulting in the formation of distinct vascular and avascular zones. Because experimentation in primate vascular development is relatively impractical studies in mice affords insights into normal and pathological retinal angiogenesis.
Keywords :
Retinal circulation, vasculogenesis, angiogenesis, astrocyte, endothelial cell, vascular ple