Feedback mechanism between blood vessels and astrocytes in retinal vascular development.
To meet tissue requirements for oxygen, blood vessels are efficiently distributed throughout the body. Multiple interactions between the vasculature and surrounding tissues are involved in this process. Retinal vascular development is controlled by interactions between ganglion cells, astrocytes, and endothelial cells. In particular, reciprocal feedback between endothelial cells and astrocytes is crucial for proper vascular patterning. Hypoxia-induced vascular endothelial growth factor expression in astrocytes plays a key role in retinal vascular growth. Recently, leukemia inhibitory factor secreted from endothelial cells was shown to act cooperatively with oxygen as a negative feedback signal. This reciprocal feedback mechanism provides a promising target for novel antiangiogenic strategies against ocular neovascular diseases and cancers. Here, we briefly review what is currently known about the molecular events involved in the cellular interactions between ganglion cells, astrocytes, and endothelial cells that control retinal vascular patterning.
Kubota
Yoshiaki
Y
Department of Cell Differentiation, The Sakaguchi Laboratory, School of Medicine, Keio University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan. ykubo33@sc.itc.keio.ac.jp
Suda
Toshio
T
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000187:drug effects; D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D025461:Feedback, Physiological; D006801:Humans; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D015861:Retinal Neovascularization / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D010100:Oxygen