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Fibrotic Remodeling in Exudative (Wet) Macular Degeneration

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Fibrosis in Disease

Part of the book series: Molecular and Translational Medicine ((MOLEMED))

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Abstract

The interplay of multiple biologic pathways and processes acts in synchrony to repair wounded tissue. Proangiogenic and inflammatory mediators allow enhanced delivery of oxygen and nutrients to repair wounded tissue. Fibrosis is the hallmark feature of wound healing in its final stage. In the eye, subretinal fibrosis, a nonfunctioning mass of fibrotic tissue situated in the subretinal space, is a manifestation of aberrant repair and is the characteristic end-stage subretinal lesion in exudative or neovascular age-related macular degenerative. The subretinal fibrotic lesion is preceded by gradual degeneration of the outer retinal cellular structures, the development of neovascular vessels, inflammation, and retinal tissue damage that culminates into the development of subretinal fibrosis. In this chapter, we will review the pathobiology of exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) as it relates to the pathogenesis of its end-stage visually devastating cicatricial lesion: subretinal fibrosis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Vitreoretinal Surgery and Diseases, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Joseph N. Martel & Andrew W. Eller

  2. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Vincent Q. Nguyen

Authors
  1. Joseph N. Martel
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  2. Vincent Q. Nguyen
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  3. Andrew W. Eller
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joseph N. Martel .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Krannert Institute of Cardiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indiana Center for Musculoskeletal Health, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Monte S. Willis

  2. Department of Health Promotion and Development, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Cecelia C. Yates

  3. Department of Pharmacology and Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, McAllister Heart Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Jonathan C. Schisler

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Martel, J.N., Nguyen, V.Q., Eller, A.W. (2019). Fibrotic Remodeling in Exudative (Wet) Macular Degeneration. In: Willis, M., Yates, C., Schisler, J. (eds) Fibrosis in Disease . Molecular and Translational Medicine. Humana Press, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98143-7_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98143-7_17

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-98142-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-98143-7

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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