BDNF and age-related macular degeneration: Overall, our results indicate disturbances in the neurotrophic support in the retina of OXYS rats: 1) we found increased NGF staining in Muller cells during the progressive stage of AMD-like retinopathy; 2) the mBDNF protein localized in Muller cells in OXYS rats, whereas mBDNF immunoreactivity was detected as retinal ganglion cells (positively stained) and Muller cells in the retina of Wistar rats; 3) during the development of AMD-like retinopathy in OXYS rats, proBDNF dominated over mBDNF thus increasing cell loss in the retina.