Retinal Pigment Epithelium in Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Abstract

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has a multifactorial aetiology that coincides with aging, genetic disorders, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, arteriosclerosis, obesity, smoking, and unhealthy diet. At the tissue and cellular levels, AMD pathology is attributable to degenerative alterations between rod and cone photoreceptors, retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE), and the underlying choroid. In clinics, primary cellular degenerative processes are observed in RPE cells. The RPE degeneration secondarily leads to damage in photoreceptor cells and the loss of vision. Excessive oxidative stress, protein aggregation, and chronic inflammation evoke dysfunctionality of the RPE, which usually starts many years earlier than the patient recognizes visual loss. Here, we discuss about the role of RPE in the pathogenesis of AMD.