RAC1 and diabetic retinopathy: As detailed above, Rac1 is pro-apoptotic in the initial stages of diabetic retinopathy, however, Rac1 activation is also associated with aberrant retinal neovascularization; animals models of retinal vein occlusion have demonstrated beneficial effects of silencing Rac1 on retinal neovascularization including choroidal neovascularization [48,49], suggesting it also has a role in the advanced stages of diabetic retinopathy.