PURPOSE Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a local, chronic inflammatory disease of the eye that is influenced by oxidative stress and dysregulation of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) associated with aging. The purpose of this study is to characterize the effects of oxidative stress and replicative senescence on the secreted cytokine profiles of RPE in vitro. METHODS We used multi...

PURPOSE To characterize the response of cultured human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells to lowered environmental oxygen. METHODS The response of cultured RPE cells to lowered oxygen environments was compared to that of cell types of presumed high (Madin-Darby canine kidney [MDCK] cells, an epithelial cell line) and low (CSF, corneal stromal fibroblasts) aerobic requirements. Cultures in...

PURPOSE Dogs affected with progressive rod-cone degeneration (prcd) have reduced levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) in their plasma and rod photoreceptor outer segments (ROS). Dietary supplementation of DHA has failed to increase the ROS DHA levels to that of unaffected control dogs. The present study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that prcd-affected dogs have a reduced capaci...

Choroideremia (CHM) is a recessive, X-linked disease that affects 1 in 50,000 people worldwide. CHM causes night blindness teenage years with vision loss progressing over the next two to three decades. While known cause progressive of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, photoreceptors and choroidal vessels, little attention has been given glial changes eyes CHM. In addition, while observed ...

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to better understand the role canonical/β-catenin Wnt signaling plays in the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) into retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE), with the goal of improving methods for derivation. METHODS Fluorescent reporters were generated to monitor RPE differentiating from hESCs by using a previously described 14-day derivati...

Age-related decreases in autophagy contribute to the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). We have now studied the interaction between autophagy impaired in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and the responses of macrophages. We find that dying RPE cells can activate the macrophage inflammasome and promote angiogenesis. In vitro, inhibiting rotenone-induced autophagy in RPE cells...

PURPOSE SLIT-ROBO signaling acts as a cue in neuronal guidance and plays a role in vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. The aim of this study is to explore the effects of robo1 and slit2 on the formation of fibrovascular membranes (FVMs) in samples from patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy. The effects of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) on robo1 and slit2 expression in human reti...

The normal function of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is dependent on the maintenance of tight adhesions between cells. In order to identify cell surface molecules which may be important for maintaining the integrity of the RPE, we have undertaken a combined functional, biochemical, and immunohistochemical analysis of cell surface proteins of the RPE. These studies have led to the identif...

Transformation of somatic cells with a set of embryonic transcription factors produces cells with the pluripotent properties of embryonic stem cells (ESCs). These induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells have the potential to differentiate into any cell type, making them a potential source from which to produce cells as a therapeutic platform for the treatment of a wide range of diseases. In many f...

Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) observations of the rabbit retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) are reported both for normal tissue and for tissue subjected to laser radiation. In normal RPE, cells were observed to be closely packed and to have the characteristic hexagonal shape. The microvilli were abundant and of two types. Suprathreshold lesions were produced with 0.4 musec pulses of high-in...