TABLE 1.

RPE changes during normal aging and AMD.

RPE changes		References
Normal Aging	Loss of melanin granules	(Sarna et al., 2003; Kubasik-Juraniec et al., 2004)
	Lipofuscin accumulation	(Schmucker and Sachs, 2002; Kubasik-Juraniec et al., 2004)
	Decreased RPE cell density and increased RPE cell size and multinucleation	Chen et al. (2016)
	Shortening of RPE microvilli	Boulton and Dayhaw-Barker, (2001)
	Increased BrM thickness and decreased BrM/choroid elasticity	(Zarbin, 2004; Harris et al., 2017)
	Drusen formation	Bergen et al. (2019)
	Basal laminar deposit	van der Schaft et al. (1993)
	Accumulation of iron	Chen et al. (2009c)
	RPE secretome changes	Meyer et al. (2019)
	Modest decrease in RPE phagocytosis	Boulton and Dayhaw-Barker, (2001)
AMD	(May) have more cellular senescence	Tong and Wang, (2020)
	(May) have more cell death
	Large soft drusen formation	Ambati et al. (2003)
	Hyper- or hypopigmentation in RPE
	Lipofuscin aggregation in RPE	(Holz et al., 2001; Hwang et al., 2006; Ach et al., 2015)
	High variable and thicker RPE layer	Zanzottera et al. (2015)
	Shedding, dissociation and sloughing RPE cells (may indicate EMT process)
	More significantly decreased RPE phagocytosis	Inana et al. (2018)
	Reduced mitochondrial function	(Saini et al., 2017; Ebeling et al., 2021)
	Increased inflammation markers
	RPE secretome changes	(An et al., 2006; Meyer et al., 2019)