Figure 1.

Schematic of (exudative) age-related macular degeneration (AMD) pathogenesis. Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells interact with photoreceptors (purple) and the choroid (red). In AMD development, RPE cells are challenged with oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and lipid deposits which impair their function and increase VEGF secretion. This may lead to neovascularization from the choroid under and into the retina and to degeneration of the RPE and the photoreceptors; ROS = reactive oxygen species; VEGF = vascular endothelial growth factor.