Choroidal neovascular endothelium (CNV endothelium (not commonly abbreviated beyond "CNV" for the process; no standard abbreviation for the endothelial cells themselves))

Choroidal neovascular endothelium refers to **the endothelial cells that form new abnormal blood vessels originating from the choroid layer beneath the retina**. This process is known as **choroidal neovascularization** (CNV), which is not itself a single molecule or receptor but rather describes pathological angiogenesis occurring most commonly in age-related macular degeneration ("wet" AMD) and other retinal diseases.[1][2] These newly formed vessels are fragile and prone to leaking fluid or blood into retinal tissue, leading to vision loss if untreated.[1][2] The main driver of this process is overproduction of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), making anti–VEGF therapies effective at halting vessel growth and leakage.[2][4] The term "photoactivation-induced cytotoxicity" refers generally to photodynamic therapy approaches that destroy these abnormal vessels using light-sensitive drugs; however, there is no unique molecular target called “choroidal neovascular endothelium via photoactivation-induced cytotoxicity.” Instead, therapies act on cellular populations within these membranes or their supporting pathways. This entry does **not correspond** to an individual protein/receptor/target but instead describes a pathological tissue structure/cell population. For structured databases focused on drug targets at the molecular level—such as receptors or enzymes—this would be considered an incorrect entry.

Other names

Choroidal neovascularizationCNVChoroidal neovascular membrane (CNVM)Neovascular endothelium of the choroid

Drugs used to treat CNV work by inhibiting VEGF signaling to prevent proliferation and leakage from abnormal blood vessels beneath the retina.[2][4]