Human retinal pericytes (HRP) have also been used to test the effects of TGFβ1 and TGFβ2 in the induction of BIGH3 protein and apoptosis, suggesting that the increase of the BIGH3 causes loss of retinal pericytes during early events in diabetic retinopathy [19]. This evidence concerns the gene TGFBI and diabetic retinopathy.