title: Is age-related macular degeneration a microvascular disease?
abstract: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common, degenerative disease of the central retina affecting millions of elderly in the USA alone and many more worldwide. A better understanding of the pathophysiology of AMD will be essential for developing new treatments. In this review, we discuss the potential impact of complement complex deposition at the choriocapillaris of aging eyes and the relationship between choriocapillaris loss and drusen formation. We further propose a model that integrates genetic and anatomical findings in AMD and suggest the implications of these findings for future therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Lowa, 52242, Lowa City, IA, USA, Robert-Mullins@uiowa.edu.
authors.forename: Robert F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Mullins
authors.forename: Aditi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khanna
authors.forename: Desi P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Schoo
authors.forename: Budd A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Tucker
authors.forename: Elliott H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: Arlene V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Drack
authors.forename: Edwin M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Stone
mesh_terms: D002196:Capillaries / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D002829:Choroid / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D003165:Complement System Proteins