Outer segment disc shedding and phagocytosis in the outer retina.
The field of outer segment disc shedding and phagocytosis by the retinal pigment epithelium is reviewed. Particular emphasis is placed on the areas of rhythmic outer segment disc shedding and the phagocytosis defect in the retinal pigment epithelium of the RCS rat with inherited retinal dystrophy.
D000818:Animals; D007700:Kinetics; D010507:Periodicity; D010587:Phagocytosis; D010786:Photoreceptor Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011922:Rats, Mutant Strains; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D012374:Rod Cell Outer Segment / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology