Number of pericytes in diabetic retinopathy

In diabetic retinopathy loss of pericytes in capillaries cause leakage of vessels. The onset of diabetic retinopathy is characterized by morphologic alterations of the microvessels, with thickening of the basement membrane, loss of inter-endothelial tight junctions and early and selective loss of pericytes, together with increased vascular permeability, capillary occlusions, microaneurysms Reference: Aravind FAQS in Ophthalmology; First Edition; Page no: 335