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Fluorescent Dye Labeling of Erythrocytes and Leukocytes for Studying the Flow Dynamics in Mouse Retinal Circulation
Published on: July 3, 2017
Retinal blood flow in diabetes
Allen C Clermont1, Sven-Erik Bursell
1Joslin Diabetes Center and Harvard Medical School, Eye Research Section, Boston, Massachusetts 12215, USA.
Microcirculation (New York, N.Y. : 1994)
|March 17, 2007
Summary
This review details how measuring retinal blood flow in diabetes, using video fluorescein angiography, helps understand disease mechanisms and test therapies. This method aids in characterizing physiological effects and microvascular complications.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Diabetology
- Vascular Biology
Background:
- Diabetes mellitus is associated with significant microvascular complications, particularly affecting the retina.
- Abnormalities in retinal blood flow are a key feature of diabetic retinopathy.
- Understanding the mechanisms driving these blood flow changes is crucial for developing effective treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the characterization of retinal blood flow in diabetes.
- To validate methodologies for measuring retinal blood flow.
- To explore therapeutic agents for normalizing retinal blood flow abnormalities.
Main Methods:
- Video fluorescein angiography was employed for retinal blood flow measurements.
- This technique relies on quantifying fluorescein dye circulation times within the retinal vasculature.
- Methodology validation was performed for accuracy and reliability.
Main Results:
- Hyperglycemia significantly impacts retinal blood flow.
- Key factors like protein kinase C activation, endothelin-1/3, angiotensin-II, and nitric oxide play roles in diabetic retinal blood flow abnormalities.
- Results from animal models were translated to clinical studies.
Conclusions:
- Consistent retinal blood flow measurement methodologies in animal and human studies offer valuable quantitation.
- This approach allows for the characterization of physiological effects linked to metabolic alterations in diabetes.
- It aids in understanding the development and incidence of microvascular complications.
