Nonvascular VEGF receptor 3 expression by corneal epithelium maintains avascularity and vision

Claus Cursiefen, Lu Chen, Magali Saint-Geniez, Pedram Hamrah, Yiping Jin, Saadia Rashid, Bronislaw Pytowski, Kris Persaud, Yan Wu, J. Wayne Streilein, Reza Dana

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

237 Scopus citations

Abstract

Transparency of the cornea, the window of the eye, is a prerequisite for vision. Angiogenesis into the normally avascular cornea is incompatible with good vision and, therefore, the cornea is one of the few tissues in the human body where avascularity is actively maintained. Here, we provide evidence for a critical mechanism contributing to corneal avascularity. VEGF receptor 3, normally present on lymphatic and proliferating blood vascular endothelium, is strongly constitutively expressed by corneal epithelium and is mechanistically responsible for suppressing inflammatory corneal angiogenesis.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)11405-11410
Number of pages6
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume103
Issue number30
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 25 2006
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Angiogenesis
  • Cornea
  • Inflammation
  • Lymphatics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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