TY  - JOUR
AB  - Müller cells are a crucial retinal cell type involved in multiple regulatory processes and functions that are essential for retinal health and functionality. Acting as structural and functional support for retinal neurons and photoreceptors, Müller cells produce growth factors, regulate ion and fluid homeostasis, and facilitate neuronal signaling. They play a pivotal role in retinal morphogenesis and cell differentiation, significantly contributing to macular development. Due to their radial morphology and unique cytoskeletal organization, Müller cells act as optical fibers, efficiently channeling photons directly to the photoreceptors. In response to retinal damage, Müller cells undergo specific gene expression and functional changes that serve as a first line of defense for neurons, but can also lead to unwarranted cell dysfunction, contributing to cell death and neurodegeneration. In some species, Müller cells can reactivate their developmental program, promoting retinal regeneration and plasticity-a remarkable ability that holds promising therapeutic potential if harnessed in mammals. The crucial and multifaceted roles of Müller cells-that we propose to collectively call "Müller cells trophism"-highlight the necessity of maintaining their functionality. Dysfunction of Müller cells, termed "Müller cells pathology," has been associated with a plethora of retinal diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, vitreomacular disorders, macular telangiectasia, and inherited retinal dystrophies. In this review, we outline how even subtle disruptions in Müller cells trophism can drive the pathological cascade of Müller cells pathology, emphasizing the need for targeted therapies to preserve retinal health and prevent disease progression.
AU  - Arrigo, A.*
AU  - Cremona, O.*
AU  - Aragona, E.*
AU  - Casoni, F.*
AU  - Consalez, G.*
AU  - Dogru, R.M.*
AU  - Hauck, S.M.
AU  - Antropoli, A.*
AU  - Bianco, L.*
AU  - Parodi, M.B.*
AU  - Bandello, F.*
AU  - Grosche, A.*
C1  - 74162
C2  - 57355
CY  - The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford Ox5 1gb, England
TI  - Müller cells trophism and pathology as the next therapeutic targets for retinal diseases.
JO  - Prog. Retinal Eye Res.
VL  - 106
PB  - Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd
PY  - 2025
SN  - 1350-9462
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Retinal drusen formation is not only a clinical hallmark for the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) but also for other disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease and renal diseases. The initiation and growth of drusen is poorly understood. Attention has focused on lipids and minerals, but relatively little is known about the origin of drusen-associated proteins and how they are retained in the space between the basal lamina of the retinal pigment epithelium and the inner collagenous layer space (sub-RPE-BL space). While some authors suggested that drusen proteins are mainly derived from cellular debris from processed photoreceptor outer segments and the RPE, others suggest a choroidal cell or blood origin.Here, we reviewed and supplemented the existing literature on the molecular composition of the retina/choroid complex, to gain a more complete understanding of the sources of proteins in drusen. These "drusenomics" studies showed that a considerable proportion of currently identified drusen proteins is uniquely originating from the blood. A smaller, but still large fraction of drusen proteins comes from both blood and/or RPE. Only a small proportion of drusen proteins is uniquely derived from the photoreceptors or choroid. We next evaluated how drusen components may "meet, greet and stick" to each other and/or to structures like hydroxyapatite spherules to form macroscopic deposits in the sub-RPE-BL space. Finally, we discuss implications of our findings with respect to the previously proposed homology between drusenogenesis in AMD and plaque formation in atherosclerosis.
AU  - Bergen, A.A.*
AU  - Arya, S.*
AU  - Koster, C.*
AU  - Pilgrim, M.G.*
AU  - Wiatrek-Moumoulidis, D.*
AU  - van der Spek, P.*
AU  - Hauck, S.M.
AU  - Boon, C.J.F.*
AU  - Emri, E.*
AU  - Stewart, A.J.*
AU  - Lengyel, I.*
C1  - 55029
C2  - 46063
CY  - The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford Ox5 1gb, England
SP  - 55-84
TI  - On the origin of proteins in human drusen: The meet, greet and stick hypothesis.
JO  - Prog. Retinal Eye Res.
VL  - 70
PB  - Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd
PY  - 2018
SN  - 1350-9462
ER  -