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Retinal Pigment Epithelium in Age-Related Macular Degeneration

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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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland

    Kai Kaarniranta

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland

    Kai Kaarniranta

  3. Department of Neurology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland

    Antero Salminen

  4. Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland

    Anu Kauppinen

Authors
  1. Kai Kaarniranta
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  2. Antero Salminen
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  3. Anu Kauppinen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kai Kaarniranta .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, University of Kiel, University Medical Center, Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

    Alexa Karina Klettner

  2. Department of Ophthalmology HSK Wiesbaden, University of Mainz, Wiesbaden, Germany

    Stefan Dithmar

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Kaarniranta, K., Salminen, A., Kauppinen, A. (2020). Retinal Pigment Epithelium in Age-Related Macular Degeneration. In: Klettner, A., Dithmar, S. (eds) Retinal Pigment Epithelium in Health and Disease. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28384-1_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28384-1_9

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-28383-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-28384-1

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