title: Crosstalk in the retinal neurovascular unit - lessons for the diabetic retina.
abstract: Diabetic retinopathy shares important features with neurodegenerative retinal diseases, including loss of ganglion cells and retinal thinning. The impact on vasoregression and subsequent ischemia-driven changes such as macular edema and proliferative retinopathy are not established. Studies using adult neurodegenerative animal models such as the transgenic TGR(CMV-PKD2(1/703)HA) rat imply early activation of the innate immunity system and the complement system as well as microglia playing a role in the damage of the retinal neurovascular unit.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Busch
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gretz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: H-P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Hammes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D009474:Neurons / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D055647:Rats, Transgenic; D020239:Receptor Cross-Talk / Q000502:physiology*; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology