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Review
. 2020 Nov 5;133(21):2586-2594.
doi: 10.1097/CM9.0000000000001015.

Blood-retinal barrier as a converging pivot in understanding the initiation and development of retinal diseases

Xue Yang  1 , Xiao-Wei Yu, Dan-Dan Zhang, Zhi-Gang Fan
Affiliations
Review

Blood-retinal barrier as a converging pivot in understanding the initiation and development of retinal diseases

Xue Yang et al. Chin Med J (Engl). .

Abstract

Clinical ophthalmologists consider each retinal disease as a completely unique entity. However, various retinal diseases, such as uveitis, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and primary open-angle glaucoma, share a number of common pathogenetic pathways. Whether a retinal disease initiates from direct injury to the blood-retinal barrier (BRB) or a defect/injury to retinal neurons or glia that impairs the BRB secondarily, the BRB is a pivotal point in determining the prognosis as self-limiting and recovering, or developing and progressing to a clinical phenotype. The present review summarizes our current knowledge on the physiology and cellular and molecular pathology of the BRB, which underlies its pivotal role in the initiation and development of common retinal diseases.

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Conflict of interest statement

None.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Structure of the blood-retinal barrier (BRB). The inner BRB comprises vascular endothelial cells, pericytes, glial cells, and neurons. The outer BRB is formed by interactions of the choroid, Bruch's membrane, and retinal pigment epithelium.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Blood-retinal barrier impairment initiates and propagates retinal inflammation. APC: Antigen-presenting cell; BRB: Blood-retinal barrier.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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