Journal
OPHTHALMOLOGE
Volume 106, Issue 4, Pages 299-304Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s00347-008-1869-x
Keywords
Retinal pigment epithelium; Phagocytosis; Ion transport; Visual cycle; Secretion
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The evolution of light sensitive cells probably began with a primitive functional unit composed of a photoreceptor cell and a pigmented cell. Even during embryonic development this functional unit is formed in a differentiation process in which the two interacting partners depend on each other. For some of the most important forms of retinal degeneration this knowledge on the functional cooperation between retinal pigment epithelium and photoreceptors is of great importance for analysis and development of therapeutic approaches. In this way mutations of genes which are expressed in photoreceptors can lead to diseases which start in the retinal pigment epithelium and vice versa. This article summarizes the variety of different functions of the retinal pigment epithelium and describes the failure of those functions which are of most clinical importance.
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