The role of microglia in the development of diabetic retinopathy

Abstract

Diabetic retinopathy is a vision-threatening disease and remains the most feared complication for those living with diabetes. Historically, the disease has been considered primarily vascular in nature, based on clinically detectable vascular pathology. Nonetheless, it is now recognized that the retina undergoes a variety of cellular changes from the early onset of diabetes. In fact, one of the earliest changes to occur is a loss in vasoregulation, yet our understanding of the underlying mechanisms is lacking. Microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system, perform a range of physiological, non-inflammatory functions to maintain retinal homeostasis which includes surveying..