Research progress in epiretinal macrophage-like cells characterized by en face OCT in ocular fundus diseases
Journal Title: Eye Science (Yanke Xuebao) - Year 2025, Vol 40, Issue 2
Abstract
Macrophage-like cells (MLC) refer to immune cells that originate from and function similarly to macrophages, including microglia, hyalocytes, and macrophages themselves. By setting the display level of en face OCT to the retinal surface, epiretinal MLC (eMLC) can be observed and subsequently extracted and quantified using ImageJ software. Studies indicate that eMLC can exhibit cell recruitment and activation in inflammatory conditions, each displaying distinct characteristics in different retinal diseases. In ischemic and hypoxic retinal conditions such as diabetic retinopathy and retinal vein occlusion, higher densities of eMLC are associated with more severe macular edema. Moreover, patients with retinal vein occlusion showing higher eMLC densities tend to have poorer responses to anti-VEGF treatments and worse visual prognoses, suggesting that eMLC identified via en face OCT can be used not only to assess retinal inflammation but also as biomarkers for disease efficacy and prognosis. In immune-inflammatory diseases like uveitis, changes in eMLC density and morphology can also be observed through en face OCT. In patients with Behçet's disease, a strong correlation exists between the degree of retinal vascular leakage and eMLC density, making eMLC density a potential non-invasive marker for assessing retinal vascular leakage. However, the current methods and standards for extracting and quantifying eMLC are not unified, significantly reducing comparability between studies. Therefore, there is an urgent need to establish uniform operational protocols and assessment standards. Furthermore, the specific cell types and functions represented by eMLC observed via en face OCT require further investigation. In the future, en face OCT could be utilized for non-invasive assessment of retinal inflammation. eMLC based on en face OCT could also serve as a bridge between basic research and clinical studies, providing valuable insights into the pathogenic mechanisms of diseases.
Authors and Affiliations
Yunkao ZENG, Wanni CHEN, Feng WEN
Keywords
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- EP ID EP761524
- DOI 10.12419/24102801
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