Fig. 1

The mechanism of retinal vascular sprouting

There is a complex interaction between retinal nerve cells, glial cells, and pericytes in vascular sprouting. These elements play important roles in the regulation of this process. ECs play a crucial role in the vascular system by responding to various regulators of blood vessel function and other enzymes involved in glucose metabolism. One of the most important of these proteins is the PFKFB3 protein, as well as VEGF. In the course of these reactions, ECs differentiate into three types of cells: tip cells, stalk cells, and phalanx cells. The VEGF-VEGFR and DLL4-Notch pathways regulate the transition and growth of tip cells and stalk cells. Collectively, these cells control blood vessel migration, proliferation, and integrity. The figure was created using Biorender (https://www.biorender.com/)