Abstract
Apoptosis plays a central role in developmental and pathological vessel regression in the retina. Endothelial cells (EC) and pericytes (PC) each play unique roles during development, maintenance and regression of the retinal vasculature. Bim is a pro‐apoptotic Bcl‐2 family member that plays a prominent role in both normal and pathologic retinal vessel regression. To determine whether retinal vascular regression is attributable to Bim expression in EC or PC we generated mice carrying a conditional Bim allele (BimFlox/Flox) and VE‐cadherin‐cre (BimEC mice) or PDGR‐β‐cre (BimPC). BimEC and BimPC mice demonstrated attenuated hyaloid vessel regression and postnatal retinal vascular remodeling, perhaps as a result of decreased apoptosis. Interestingly, even though conditional Bim mice displayed increased numbers of EC and/or PC their retinal vasculature still was susceptible to hyperoxia‐mediated vessel obliteration and subsequent neovascularization during oxygen‐induced ischemic retinopathy, unlike germline deleted Bim‐deficient mice. Thus, understanding the cell autonomous role Bim plays in the retinal vascular homeostasis will give us new insight into how to prevent pathological retinal vessel regression and preserve vision.Support or Funding InformationRRF/Daniel M. Albert Chair and Lions Pediatric Ophthalmology Research Fund
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