As detected by FACS (Fig. 6), no statistically significant difference in the percentage of Tie2+CD14+ cells was observed between the dry AMD patients (3.368 ± 1.057%) and the healthy subjects (1.209 ± 0.158%); however, the percentage of Tie2+CD14+ cells was significantly higher in the wet AMD patients (3.426 ± 0.743%) than the healthy age-matched controls. Here, TEK is linked to wet macular degeneration.