title: Mathematical and computational models of the retina in health, development and disease.
abstract: The retina confers upon us the gift of vision, enabling us to perceive the world in a manner unparalleled by any other tissue. Experimental and clinical studies have provided great insight into the physiology and biochemistry of the retina; however, there are questions which cannot be answered using these methods alone. Mathematical and computational techniques can provide complementary insight into this inherently complex and nonlinear system. They allow us to characterise and predict the behaviour of the retina, as well as to test hypotheses which are experimentally intractable. In this review, we survey some of the key theoretical models of the retina in the healthy, developmental and diseased states. The main insights derived from each of these modelling studies are highlighted, as are model predictions which have yet to be tested, and data which need to be gathered to inform future modelling work. Possible directions for future research are also discussed. Whilst the present modelling studies have achieved great success in unravelling the workings of the retina, they have yet to achieve their full potential. For this to happen, greater involvement with the modelling community is required, and stronger collaborations forged between experimentalists, clinicians and theoreticians. It is hoped that, in addition to bringing the fruits of current modelling studies to the attention of the ophthalmological community, this review will encourage many such future collaborations.
authors.affiliation: Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Andrew Wiles Building, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK; Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford, Wolfson Building, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QD, UK. Electronic address: p.a.roberts@univ.oxon.org.
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Wolfson Centre for Mathematical Biology, Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Andrew Wiles Building, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK. Electronic address: gaffney@maths.ox.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Eamonn A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Gaffney
authors.affiliation: Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, 11-43 Bath Street, London, EC1V 9EL, UK. Electronic address: p.luthert@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Philip J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Luthert
authors.affiliation: Queen's Medical Centre, Department of Ophthalmology, Derby Road, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG7 2UH, UK. Electronic address: alexander.foss@nottingham.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Alexander J E
authors.initials: AJE
authors.lastname: Foss
authors.affiliation: Wolfson Centre for Mathematical Biology, Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Andrew Wiles Building, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6GG, UK. Electronic address: helen.byrne@maths.ox.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Helen M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Byrne
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology*; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Angiogenesis; Choroidal neovascularisation; Neuroglobin; Oxygen; Photoreceptors; Retinitis pigmentosa