[Angiogenesis and inhibition of angiogenesis in the eye]

Angiogenesis is the formation of new blood vessels from preexisting vessels. Angiogenesis plays an important physiologic and pathologic role in the eye. Pathologic angiogenesis can be found in major causes of human blindness as in diabetic retinopathy and age-related-maculopathy. In recent years great progress has been made in recognizing the mechanisms and regulation of angiogenesis.

The general mechanism and the regulation of angiogenesis with proliferative diabetic retinopathy as an example of ocular angiogenesis are reviewed according to recent literature. Angiogenic and antiangiogenic factors regulate the neovascularization. Recent research has identified the vascular endothelial growth factor as the most important mediator of ocular angiogenesis. As well in diabetic retinopathy as in age-related-maculopathy the vascular endothelial growth factor plays a role. New knowledge about ocular angiogenesis is linked to the chance of new antiangiogenic therapies in neovascularizing eye diseases. There exist two ways of ocular antiangiogenic therapy: the first way is to block ocular angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor, the other way is to influence the interaction between endothelial cells and extracellular matrix of the newly forming vessels.

Recent progress in angiogenesis research could result in new causal antiangiogenic drug therapy in ophthalmology. There are some promising animal experiments of local and systemic antiangiogenic therapy. Because of its anatomic localisation the eye is especially suitable for topic antiangiogenic therapy.