Retinal neovascularization (NV), or the formation of new blood vessels in the retina, is a leading cause of blindness in diabetics.
Research advances have shed great insights into molecules that play an important role in retinal neovascularization, suggesting
potential targets for therapeutic manipulation. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is well-recognized as a major stimulus
in retinal N V, and therapies directed against VEGF are currently being developed and used. However, a greater understanding
of additional molecules regulating retinal NV has emerged. This chapter will review these molecules and discuss their potential
importance to retinal neovascularization in diabetes. This discussion will include additional pro-angiogenic growth factors,
extracellular proteinases, integrins, and endogenous inhibitors of neovascularization. The development of therapeutic strategies
targeting these molecules may result in additional treatments for retinal neovascularization in diabetic retinopathy.
Key Words Angiopoietin – angiostatin – basic fibroblast growth factor – endostatin – eryth-ropoietin – hepatocyte growth factor – insulin-like growth factor – integrin – matrix metallopro-teinases – pigment epithelium-derived factor – retinal neovascularization – thrombospondin-1 – tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases – transforming growth factor-β – tumor necrosis factor – urokinase plasminogen activator