RPE and the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a major pro-angiogenic cytokine, but also exerts many additional physiological functions in the retina. The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a major source for VEGF in the retina, especially affecting the endothelium of choriocapillaris but also photoreceptors and the RPE itself. VEGF is regulated on many levels and the pathway of induction differs between the many stimuli. In this chapter, the role of RPE-derived VEGF will be discussed, as well as the physiological and induced pathways of VEGF regulation, especially induced by hypoxia, oxidative stress and hyperglycemia, inflammation and hyperthermia.