The Calcium Signalling Profile of the Inner Blood-Retinal Barrier in Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a sight-threatening complication of diabetes mellitus, affecting millions of people worldwide. From a vascular perspective, diabetic retinopathy compromises the structure and function of the blood-retinal barrier, leading to aberrant angiogenesis and vascular leakage, with consequent loss of vision. This review will delve into the vascular abnormalities caused by diabetic retinopathy in the inner blood-retinal barrier, focusing primarily on retinal endothelial cells. It will then discuss how calcium signalling regulates inner blood-retina barrier function and dysfunction, how calcium channels contribute to the development of diabetic retinopathy, and how studying the components of the calcium toolkit may identify new therapeutic targets.