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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2011 Mar 1.
Published in final edited form as: Exp Eye Res. 2009 Nov 25;90(3):376–381. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2009.11.003

Figure 1. The growth factor/cytokine hypothesis for how PVR develops.

Figure 1

The break in the retinal exposes cells within the retina and beneath it to the various agents within vitreous. These agents include growth factors and cytokines that promote cellular responses intrinsic to PVR such as migration, survival, proliferation and extracellular matrix production. The consequence of such cellular responses is the formation of an epiretinal membrane. Growth factors and cytokines within vitreous can stimulate cells within this epiretinal membrane to contract and thereby detach the retina.