The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a single layer of dark, hexagonal cells lying between the photoreceptors and Bruch membrane. It is essential to photoreceptor health: it recycles visual pigment, digests shed outer segment tips and forms the outer blood-retina barrier. Its melanin absorbs stray light.
| Location | Outermost layer of the retina, against Bruch membrane and the choroid |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Nerve Supply | None directly; supports photoreceptors |
| Blood Supply | Choriocapillaris |
Supports and nourishes photoreceptors, regenerates visual pigment, clears waste and absorbs scattered light.
RPE dysfunction is central to age-related macular degeneration and many inherited retinal diseases. Gene therapy for RPE65-related retinal dystrophy was one of the first approved ocular gene treatments. Retinal detachment is a separation between the neural retina and the RPE, a weak natural plane left over from embryonic development.
Advanced dry macular degeneration with sharply outlined patches of lost RPE and photoreceptors, causing permanent central blind spots.
A flat, darkly pigmented patch in the retina, usually harmless; multiple patches can be linked to familial adenomatous polyposis.
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