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Open AccessJournal ArticleDOI

Endogenous VEGF is required for visual function: evidence for a survival role on müller cells and photoreceptors.

TLDR
Results indicate an important role for endogenous VEGF in the maintenance and function of adult retina neuronal cells and indicate that anti-VEGF therapies should be administered with caution.
Abstract
Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is well known for its role in normal and pathologic neovascularization. However, a growing body of evidence indicates that VEGF also acts on non-vascular cells, both developmentally as well as in the adult. In light of the widespread use of systemic and intraocular anti-VEGF therapies for the treatment of angiogenesis associated with tumor growth and wet macular degeneration, systematic investigation of the role of VEGF in the adult retina is critical. Methods and Findings: Using immunohistochemistry and Lac-Z reporter mouse lines, we report that VEGF is produced by various cells in the adult mouse retina and that VEGFR2, the primary signaling receptor, is also widely expressed, with strong

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Mechanisms of age-related macular degeneration

TL;DR: Insight is provided into the critical effector pathways mediating each form of the disease and a recurring theme that spans most aspects of AMD pathogenesis is defective immune modulation in the classically immune-privileged ocular haven.
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The progress in understanding and treatment of diabetic retinopathy

TL;DR: It is emphasised that although there have been significant advances, there is still a pressing need for a better understanding basic mechanisms enable development of reliable and robust means to identify patients at highest risk, and to intervene effectively before vision loss occurs.
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An essential role for RPE-derived soluble VEGF in the maintenance of the choriocapillaris

TL;DR: Increased photoreceptor apoptosis in aged VEGF188/188 mice led to a decline in visual acuity as detected by electroretinogram (ERG), and changes are reminiscent of geographic atrophy (GA) and point to a role for RPE-derived V EGF in the maintenance of the choriocapillaris.
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Immunology of age-related macular degeneration

TL;DR: The diverse immune cell types, inflammatory activators and pathways that are involved in AMD pathogenesis are outlined and the future of inflammation-directed therapeutics to treat AMD in the growing aged population is discussed.
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Neurodegeneration in the diabetic eye: new insights and therapeutic perspectives

TL;DR: In this review, an updated discussion of the mechanisms involved in neurodegeneration, as well as the link between neuro degeneration and microangiopathy, is presented and the therapeutic implications and new perspectives based on identifying those patients with retinal neurodegenersation are given.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI

Vascular endothelial growth factor induced by hypoxia may mediate hypoxia-initiated angiogenesis.

TL;DR: It is shown that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) probably functions as a hypoxia-inducible angiogenic factor and is specifically induced in a subset of glioblastoma cells distinguished by their immediate proximity to necrotic foci and the clustering of capillaries alongside VEGF-producing cells.
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Failure of blood-island formation and vasculogenesis in Flk-1-deficient mice.

TL;DR: The generation of mice deficient in Flk-1 by disruption of the gene using homologous recombination in embryonic stem (ES) cells is reported, indicating that FlK-1 is essential for yolk-sac blood-island formation and vasculogenesis in the mouse embryo.
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BCL-2 family members and the mitochondria in apoptosis

TL;DR: As the BCL-2 family members reside upstream of irreversible cellular damage and focus much of their efforts at the level of mitochondria, they play a pivotal role in deciding whether a cell will live or die, and it is argued that the amphipathic a-helical BH3 domain serves as a critical death domain in the pro-apoptotic members.
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Excess placental soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt1) may contribute to endothelial dysfunction, hypertension, and proteinuria in preeclampsia

TL;DR: It is confirmed that placental soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt1), an antagonist of VEGF and placental growth factor (PlGF), is upregulated in preeclampsia, leading to increased systemic levels of sFlt 1 that fall after delivery, and observations suggest that excess circulating sFelt1 contributes to the pathogenesis of preeClampsia.
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Ranibizumab versus Verteporfin for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

TL;DR: Ranibizumab was superior to verteporfin as intravitreal treatment of predominantly classic neovascular age-related macular degeneration, with low rates of serious ocular adverse events and treatment improved visual acuity on average at 1 year.
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What is the role of VEGF in the development of endometriosis?

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