Phagocytosis of retinal rod and cone photoreceptors.
Photoreceptor cells maintain a roughly constant length by continuously generating new outer segments from their base while simultaneously releasing mature outer segments engulfed by the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Thus postmitotic RPE cells phagocytose an immense amount of material over a lifetime, disposing of photoreceptor cell waste while retaining useful content. This review focuses on current knowledge of outer segment phagocytosis, discussing the steps involved along with their critical participants as well as how various perturbations in outer segment (OS) disposal can lead to retinopathies.
Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. kxp65@case.edu
Brian M
BM
Kevany
Krzysztof
K
Palczewski
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010587:Phagocytosis; D017949:Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D017948:Retinal Rod Photoreceptor Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015398:Signal Transduction