Scar formation in Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR)

Myofibroblasts

PVR is the leading cause of recurrent retinal detachments (RDs) and is a blinding disease process characterized by fibrotic membranes that develop on the retinal surface or within the retina in up to 10% of RDs.  The main pathologic process in PVR is epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells.  EMT is driven by cytokines and growth factors in the vitreous, most notably transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ).  Currently, there are no pharmacologic therapies that improve visual outcomes or decrease re-detachment rates for PVR patients. We study cell signaling pathways in RPE cells that drive EMT and proliferation to find new therapeutic targets that can stop PVR. 

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