Bone marrow-derived cells are differentially involved in pathological and physiological retinal angiogenesis in mice

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Vascular Biology
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Bone marrow-derived cells are implicated in angiogenesis.
• Their specific roles in different types of angiogenesis, particularly in the retina, remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the involvement of bone marrow-derived cells in pathological and physiological retinal angiogenesis in mice.
• To determine if bone marrow-derived cells influence all forms of retinal angiogenesis.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) model in newborn mice.
• Irradiated mice to deplete bone marrow-derived cells, with specific shielding protocols for different groups.
• Quantified pathological and physiological retinal angiogenesis on postnatal day 17.

Main Results:

• Irradiation led to leukocyte depletion but did not affect other cell types or body weight.
• Physiological angiogenesis was impaired in irradiated mice, evidenced by larger nonperfusion areas.
• Pathological angiogenesis, characterized by tuft-like structures, was unaffected or even enhanced in irradiated mice.

Conclusions:

• Bone marrow-derived cells play distinct roles in physiological versus pathological retinal angiogenesis.
• Functional bone marrow-derived cells are essential for physiological vessel formation but not for pathological angiogenesis.
• These findings offer insights into retinal angiogenic diseases and the contribution of bone marrow cells.