Adhesion Failures Determine the Pattern of Choroidal Neovascularization in the Eye: A Computer Simulation Study
Figure 14
Dynamics of stable Type 2 CNV (S22 CNV).
A) Total number of stalk cells vs. time. B) Total number of stalk cells confined in the sub-RPE space vs. time. C) Total number of stalk cells in contact with the POS (stalk cells in the sub-retinal space) vs. time. D) Total number of RPE cells vs. time. E) Total contact area between RPE cells and BrM vs. time. F) Total contact area between POS cells and BrM vs. time. The different colors represent the results of 10 simulation replicas of the adhesion scenario (RRl = 1, RRp = 1, RBl = 3, RBp = 3, ROl = 3) (Table S8, adhesion scenario ID: 16). (A, C) CNV initiates in all replicas and all develop ET2 CNV during the first three months of the simulation. All replicas exhibit S22 CNV. A few stalk cells in most replicas die due to lack of RPE-derived VEGF-A. (C) Few or no stalk cells reach the sub-RPE space. (D) The RPE remains viable in all replicas. (E) The contact area between the RPE and BrM does not change as S22 develops. (F) The POS contacts BrM a few times, but the contact area and duration are both small, so the RPE does not develop any persistent or substantial holes.