How Dopamine Controls Blood Vessels in the Eye
Dopamine Mediated Control of Retinal Vascular Integrity
This project looks at how dopamine, a brain chemical, helps control the growth and health of blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensing part of your eye.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11128595 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
We know that dopamine plays a key role in eye diseases that affect blood vessels. Our earlier work showed that dopamine can directly talk to blood vessels and guide their development. Now, we are focusing on the retina, where initial findings suggest that more dopamine can reduce blood vessel density, while less dopamine can cause them to overgrow. We are also exploring how certain nerve cells in the retina, called retinal ganglion cells, produce dopamine and directly influence blood vessel growth. This work aims to uncover the exact ways these cells and dopamine interact to keep retinal blood vessels healthy.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This basic science work is not directly recruiting patients but aims to help those with retinal vascular diseases in the future.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate treatment options would not directly benefit from this foundational research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding how dopamine affects retinal blood vessels could lead to new ways to treat or prevent eye diseases caused by abnormal blood vessel growth.
How similar studies have performed: While the role of dopamine in eye vascular diseases is known, this specific focus on retinal ganglion cells as dopamine producers and their direct modulation of retinal vasculature is a novel area of investigation.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- Baylor College of Medicine — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Samuel, Melanie a — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Samuel, Melanie a
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.