[HTML][HTML] Neurovascular crosstalk between interneurons and capillaries is required for vision

Y Usui, PD Westenskow, T Kurihara… - The Journal of …, 2015 - Am Soc Clin Investig
Y Usui, PD Westenskow, T Kurihara, E Aguilar, S Sakimoto, LP Paris, C Wittgrove…
The Journal of clinical investigation, 2015Am Soc Clin Investig
Functional interactions between neurons, vasculature, and glia within neurovascular units
are critical for maintenance of the retina and other CNS tissues. For example, the
architecture of the neurosensory retina is a highly organized structure with alternating layers
of neurons and blood vessels that match the metabolic demand of neuronal activity with an
appropriate supply of oxygen within perfused blood. Here, using murine genetic models and
cell ablation strategies, we have demonstrated that a subset of retinal interneurons, the …
Functional interactions between neurons, vasculature, and glia within neurovascular units are critical for maintenance of the retina and other CNS tissues. For example, the architecture of the neurosensory retina is a highly organized structure with alternating layers of neurons and blood vessels that match the metabolic demand of neuronal activity with an appropriate supply of oxygen within perfused blood. Here, using murine genetic models and cell ablation strategies, we have demonstrated that a subset of retinal interneurons, the amacrine and horizontal cells, form neurovascular units with capillaries in 2 of the 3 retinal vascular plexuses. Moreover, we determined that these cells are required for generating and maintaining the intraretinal vasculature through precise regulation of hypoxia-inducible and proangiogenic factors, and that amacrine and horizontal cell dysfunction induces alterations to the intraretinal vasculature and substantial visual deficits. These findings demonstrate that specific retinal interneurons and the intraretinal vasculature are highly interdependent, and loss of either or both elicits profound effects on photoreceptor survival and function.
The Journal of Clinical Investigation