Proteoglycans are involved in a variety of cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. These include cell adhesion, growth regulation and a number of developmental processes. Their involvement in such interactions may be of particular importance in retinitis pigmentosa (RP) because of the detachment and migration of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells often associated with this condition. Becaus...

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and allied diseases are heterogeneous clinically and genetically. Here we summarize the retinal cell types involved in these diseases, the large number of genes that cause them, and the variety of inheritance patterns that the affected families display. Special consideration is given to unusual inheritance patterns. The aggregate carrier frequency for recessive RP alle...

HLA serological typing was performed on 173 patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) of all hereditary types. No significant difference was found in the frequency of any HLA (A, B, C) antigen, when comparing autosomal dominant and recessive RP patients with a control population.

800x600 unfortunately, at present, degenerative retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa remains untreatable. patients with these conditions suffer progressive visual decline resulting from continuing loss of photoreceptor cells and outer nuclear layers. however, stem cell therapy is a promising approach to restore visual function in eyes with degenerative retinal diseases such as retiniti...

PURPOSE To investigate whether or not thicker retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in retinitis pigmentosa (RP) patients relates to functional abnormalities of the photoreceptors. METHODS Optical coherence tomography-based RNFL thickness was measured by Stratus-3™ (Zeiss, Basel, Switzerland) optical coherence tomography and electroretinogram (ERG) recordings made using the RETI-port(®) system (Ro...

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the generic name for a group of hereditary disorders characterized by progressive loss of photoreceptors and RPE function. The classical triad of retinitis pigmentosa is arteriolar attenuation, retinal bone spicule pigmentation and waxy disc pallor. Lebers congenital amaurosis (LCA) is the hereditary form of retinitis pigmentosa. It presents with blindness either at...

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) has a prevalence of approximately one in 4000; 25%-30% of these cases are autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP). Like other forms of inherited retinal disease, adRP is exceptionally heterogeneous. Mutations in more than 25 genes are known to cause adRP, more than 1000 mutations have been reported in these genes, clinical findings are highly variable, and there...

PURPOSE To identify the disease-causing mutations in two large Bulgarian Romani (Gypsy) pedigrees: one with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP) with partial penetrance and the other with severe X-linked RP (xlRP). METHODS Detailed clinical investigations were undertaken and genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples. DNA was analyzed by PCR amplification with gene-specific primer...

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) comprises a group of inherited pathologies characterized by progressive photoreceptor degeneration. In rodent models of RP, expression of defective genes and retinal degeneration usually manifest during the first weeks of postnatal life, making it difficult to distinguish consequences of primary genetic defects from abnormalities in retinal development. Moreover, mouse...

PURPOSE A unique case of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) associated with bilateral disc edema and unilateral macular hole is presented. METHODS A 49-year-old woman, a known RP patient, was found to have bilateral disc edema and a macular hole in the left eye during routine clinical examination. Fluorescein angiography revealed hyperfluorescent leakage of the optic nerve head significantly OD and mi...