Cell death in retinitis pigmentosa: gap junctions and the 'bystander'effect

H Ripps - Experimental eye research, 2002 - Elsevier
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) constitutes a group of genetically mediated, degenerative retinal
diseases that display a broad range of phenotypes. There is appreciable heterogeneity in
the pathogenetic mechanisms that underlie the various forms of RP, but a substantial
percentage of the known cases arise as a consequence of mutations in rhodopsin or other
rod-specific proteins. However, despite the fact that the genetic defect is expressed solely in
the rod photoreceptors, otherwise healthy cone photoreceptors invariably die, resulting in …