Pericytes and ocular diseases.
Pericytes are vascular mural cells which play multiple roles in angiogenesis and maintenance of blood vessel morphology and stability. In this review, we analyze recent data on the participation of pericytes in the pathogenesis of proliferative and non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, as well as an emerging role in other angiogenic ocular diseases such as retinopathy of prematurity. Ways to exploit pericytes as targets for treatment of ocular diseases are discussed.
Motiejūnaite
Rūta
R
Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Kazlauskas
Andrius
A
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000473:pathology; D016510:Corneal Neovascularization / Q000473:pathology; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000473:pathology; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology; D020286:Pericytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000473:pathology
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors