Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly worldwide. Due to the inadequacy of current pharmacotherapies, novel molecular targets must be sought as potential therapeutic candidates. Furthermore, there is a need for more efficient and cost-effective animal models of this pathology in order to accelerate in vivo investigations. / Our laboratory is in possession of human choroidal neovascular membranes which we examined for expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2. This expression was characterized in retinal pigment epithelial, vascular endothelial, and fibroblast cells and correlated with patient age. We also looked at the feasibility of creating a rabbit laser-injury model to adequately mimic human neovascular AMD. / Our results suggest that anti-COX-2 therapies may be beneficial to some patients with neovascular AMD. Moreover, there is strong potential for the development of clinically relevant choroidal neovascularization in rabbits using the laser-injury technique. This approach may yield a novel, cost-effective AMD model.

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