A retinal endothelial cell barrier is disrupted by direct contact with retinal Müller glial cells in vitro.

This article discusses the disruption of the retinal endothelial cell barrier by direct contact with retinal Müller glial cells (RMGCs) in vitro. The inner blood-retinal barrier plays a crucial role in protecting the neural retina by restricting the passage of solutes and microbes. The study aimed to develop a model for investigating the interactions between human retinal endothelial cells (RECs) and RMGCs to understand the breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier. The results showed that direct contact between RMGCs and RECs led to an activated and leaky retinal endothelium. This model could be useful for studying diseases like diabetic retinopathy and posterior uveitis and evaluating targeted treatments. [Extracted from the article]