Development of the retinal vasculature is based on highly coordinated signalling between different cell types of the retina, integrating internal metabolic requirements with external influences such as the supply of oxygen and nutrients. The developing mouse retinal vasculature is a useful model system to study these interactions because it is experimentally accessible for intra ocular injections and genetic manipulations, can be easily imaged and develops in a similar fashion to that of humans. Research using this model has provided insights about general principles of angiogenesis as well as pathologies that affect the developing retinal vasculature. In this review, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms that govern the interactions between neurons, glial and vascular cells in the developing retina. This includes a review of mechanisms that shape the retinal vasculature, such as sprouting angiogenesis, vascular network remodelling and vessel maturation. We also explore how the disruption of these processes in mice can lead to pathology - such as oxygen induced retinopathy - and how this translates to human retinopathy of prematurity.

视网膜脉管系统的发育基于视网膜不同细胞类型之间高度协调的信号传递，将内部代谢需求与外部影响（例如氧气和营养供应）整合在一起。发育中的小鼠视网膜脉管系统是研究这些相互作用的有用模型系统，因为它在眼内注射和基因操作方面在实验上是可访问的，可以很容易地成像并以与人类相似的方式发育。使用该模型的研究提供了有关血管生成的一般原理以及影响视网膜视网膜血管发育的病理学的见识。在这篇评论中，我们讨论了对控制神经元之间相互作用的分子和细胞机制的最新进展，发育中的视网膜中的神经胶质和血管细胞。这包括对影响视网膜脉管系统的机制的综述，例如发芽血管生成，血管网络重塑和血管成熟。我们还探讨了这些过程在小鼠中的破坏如何导致病理（例如氧引起的视网膜病变）以及如何将其转化为人类早产儿视网膜病变。