Although pericytes in healthy tissue exhibit αSMA expression to a limited extent, αSMA expression alters in pericytes in DR, tumor angiogenesis, fibrosis, and inflammation.5,43,44 In DR, signaling through PDGFRβ is impaired, which may play a role in pericyte apoptosis.5 A reduction in NG2 expression in retinal pericytes was found in previous studies in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice.45, –47. This evidence concerns the gene ACTA1 and neoplasm.