Retinal Cell Map Could Advance Precise Therapies for Blinding Diseases; NEI Discovery Sheds Light on Tissue Targeted by Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Other Diseases

Researchers have identified distinct differences among the cells comprising a tissue in the retina that is vital to human visual perception. The scientists from the National Eye Institute (NEI) discovered five subpopulations of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)—a layer of tissue that nourishes and supports the retina’s light-sensing photoreceptors. Using artificial intelligence, the researchers analyzed images of RPE at single-cell resolution to create a reference map that locates each subpopulation within the eye. A report on the research was published on May 6, 2022 in PNAS. Th article is titled ““Single Cell-Resolution Map of Human Retinal Pigment Epithelium Helps Discover Subpopulations with Differential Disease Sensitivity.”