Bone marrow-derived cells in neovascular age-related macular degeneration: contribution and potential application.

Neovascular age-related macular degeneration, characterized by the formation of choroidal neovascularization (CNV), is a predominant cause of serious loss of vision. The pathogenesis of CNV is complex and still imperfectly understood. Prior studies have shown that bone marrow-derived cells (BMC) play a role in CNV. In this review article, we describe the contribution of BMC to CNV development, and discuss the potential use of BMC in the anticipation and treatment of CNV-associated diseases as well as research needs in the future.