Differences between retinal and choroidal microvascular endothelial cells (MVECs) under normal and XXXX conditions.

@entity70913 @entity45359 @entity70915 @entity70917 @entity519 @entity70916 @entity29017 @entity37607 @entity35872 @entity291 @entity25805 @entity70914
The morphological and functional differences between the retinal and choroidal vascular bed raise the question of whether the smallest functional unit, the microvascular endothelial cell (MVEC), also differs in its basal characteristics. Here, we examined @entity291 retinal and choroidal MVECs (rMVECs, cMVECs) for the presence and regulation of angiogenic mediators and their receptors, and cytokines at the mRNA level using quantitative RT-PCR and differential display. @entity25805 ( @entity25805 ) mRNA was expressed in both rMVECs and cMVECs. The basal and @entity519 -increased @entity25805 mRNA levels were significantly higher in cMVECs, which may indicate a higher capacity for autocrine stimulation in these cells. The mRNA for two @entity25805 receptors, @entity37607 and @entity35872 , was present in rMVECs and cMVECs. Interestingly, rMVECs expressed higher @entity37607 but lower @entity35872 mRNA levels compared to cMVECs. Examining the angiopoietin (Ang)/Tie-2 system, we only detected @entity70913 mRNA at very low levels. While @entity70914 mRNA levels were high in both rMVECs and cMVECs, rMVECs expressed 2-3 times the basal and @entity519 -upregulated @entity70914 mRNA levels than did cMVECs. No difference was found in basal Tie-2 mRNA levels. rMVECs are the more potent producers of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and @entity45359 ( @entity45359 ), whereas cMVECs expressed higher @entity29017 mRNA levels. In our second approach - screening rMVECs and cMVECs for differentially expressed genes - we found @entity70915 , @entity70916 , and @entity70917 ( @entity70917 ) mRNA in both MVEC types at varying levels. In summary, MVECs from the retinal and choroidal vascular beds showed quantitative differences in angiogenic regulator expression and in their capability to produce cytokines.
