Recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) is the leading vector for gene therapy in the
retina. As non-pathogenic, non-integrating, replication deficient vector, the recombinant virus …

Diabetes is a complex disease that affects over 400 million people worldwide. The life-long
insulin injections and continuous blood glucose monitoring required in type 1 diabetes …

Microglial cells are responsible for immune surveillance within the CNS. They respond to
noxious stimuli by releasing inflammatory mediators and mounting an effective inflammatory …

Most higher animals require sight for survival, yet even minor distortions of the visual axis
can cause blindness. For this reason, intraocular inflammation is incompatible with good …

The skin is a known target organ for the proopiomelanocortin (POMC)-derived
neuropeptides α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH), β-endorphin, and ACTH and …

Corneal transplantation is the most successful solid organ transplantation performed in
humans. The extraordinary success of orthotopic corneal allografts, in both humans and …

Endophthalmitis is a severe inflammation of the interior of the eye caused by the introduction
of contaminating microorganisms following trauma, surgery, or hematogenous spread from a …

Immune–neuroendocrine interactions in fish, as in mammals, have become a focus of
considerable interest, with the modulation of immune responses by hormones receiving …

Abstract α-MSH is a tridecapeptide derived from proopiomelanocortin. Many studies over the
last few years have provided evidence that α-MSH has potent protective and …

Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and α-, β-, and γ-melanocyte-stimulating hormones (α-
, β-, γ-MSH), collectively known as melanocortins, together with their receptors (melanocortin …