ABSTRACT
Based on the neurovascular unit(NVU), neurovascular coupling functions as a barrier to maintain the homeostasis of the microenvironment by regulating the signaling and metabolic activity of nerve cells and capillaries. Widely dispersed across the retina, the NVU is essential to preserving its normal physiological function. A disturbance in retinal neurovascular homeostasis produced by a range of factors can result in a variety of retinal disorders, such as diabetic retinopathy(DR), glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa(RP)and age-related macular degeneration(ARMD). The retina also has a widespread distribution of brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF), which functions to promote neuron growth and repair damage by binding to its receptor TrkB. In recent years, BDNF was found to play a protective role against damage in the early stage of retinal neurovascular homeostasis imbalance, often known as the neurodegenerative stage. It also helps to reduce the production of pro-angiogenic substances of neurological origin and offers a fresh approach for the early detection and treatment of associated eye disorders.
ABSTRACT
Retinal macrophages and (or) microglial cells play important roles in regulating inflammation,angiogenesis and tissue repairing,thus affect the development and prognosis of ischemic retinal disease,ocular immune diseases and ocular tumors.Reversing the polarization imbalance of these cells may provide new therapeutic strategies for ischemic retinal disease and ocular immune diseases.The duality of the polarization direction of these cells is still controversial in the inflammatory reaction and pathological angiogenesis of ischemic retinal disease.Meanwhile,the plasticity and diversity of the function need to be further studied and discussed.