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Ageing of the human retinal pigment epithelium

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Retinal Pigment Epithelium and Macular Diseases

Part of the book series: Documenta Ophthalmologica Proceedings Series ((DOPS,volume 62))

Abstract

The human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a non-dividing system which throughout life undertakes a number of functions essential for the maintenance of photoreceptor cells. With increasing age, the RPE is seen to undergo structural changes, lose melanin (its light absorbing pigment), accumulate the age pigment lipofuscin, have reduced antioxidant capacity and progressively accumulate deposits on, and within, the underlying Bruch’s membrane. These age-related changes in both the RPE and Bruch’s membrane appear to be strongly associated with the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9WH, UK

    M. Boulton & J. Wassell

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  1. M. Boulton
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  2. J. Wassell
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University Eye Clinic of Créteil, France

    Gabriel Coscas

  2. University Eye Clinic of Genoa, Italy

    Felice Cardillo Piccolino

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Boulton, M., Wassell, J. (1998). Ageing of the human retinal pigment epithelium. In: Coscas, G., Piccolino, F.C. (eds) Retinal Pigment Epithelium and Macular Diseases. Documenta Ophthalmologica Proceedings Series, vol 62. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5137-5_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5137-5_4

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