Cone degeneration in aging and age-related macular degeneration
Open accessAbstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine the morphological features of macular photoreceptors in histologically normal retina from normal donor eyes and eyes with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). METHODS: The macular region was excised from 18 donor eyes (aged 22-96 years) and cryosectioned. Sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin or double immunolabeled using opsin antibodies or synaptic markers. RESULTS: Three of 8 retinas studied in detail had AMD lesions; the remainder were histologically normal. Immunoreactivity to cone opsin was abnormal in parts of all retinas (3.5%-95.0% of each sample) and was associated with swelling of and altered immunoreactivity in the cone distal axon. In non-AMD retinas, the anomalies were mainly in nonfoveal macular locations. The nature of the anomalies was identical in non-AMD retinas and in parts of AMD retinas adjacent to overt degeneration. CONCLUSION: Redistribution of opsin and anomalies in the distal cone axon are common in the aging human macula and may indicate susceptibility to AMD. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The findings are consistent with tests of cone function in aging and early AMD, which suggests that integrated cone functions--including contrast sensitivity, color matching, and short wavelength-sensitive cone sensitivity--are the most reliable prognostic indicators of progression in AMD.
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Abnormalities in the distal cone axon occur with aging and increase susceptibility to AMD.
“Recently, it has been noted that abnormalities in the distal cone axon occurs with aging and increases susceptibility to AMD (Shelley et al., 2009).”
From Retinal ultrastructure of murine models of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (2010) · cites this paper as Shelley et al., 2009
Photoreceptor cell loss is most prominent in the parafovea and can progress to total photoreceptor loss and disciform degeneration.
“Photoreceptor cell loss is most prominent in the parafovea and can progress to total photoreceptor loss and disciform degeneration (Curcio et al., 1996; Sarks, 1976; Shelley et al., 2009).”
From Retinal ultrastructure of murine models of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (2010) · cites this paper as Shelley et al., 2009
In AMD, cones lose their synaptic connections before dying, and signs of photoreceptor degeneration are found in cones before rods.
“in AMD, cones lose their synaptic connections before dying, and signs of photoreceptor degeneration are found in cones before rods”
From Retinal ultrastructure of murine models of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (2010) · cites this paper as Shelley et al., 2009
Rod photoreceptor cell death also expedites cone cell death.
“Rod photoreceptor cell death also expedites cone cell death”
From Retinal ultrastructure of murine models of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (2010) · cites this paper as Shelley et al., 2009
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References 46 · Cited by 85
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- Curcio CA, Saunders PL, Younger PW, Malek G. Peripapillary chorioretinal at- rophy: Bruch's membrane changes and photoreceptor loss. Ophthalmology. 2000; 107(2):334-343.
- Authors
- Shelley, E. J.
- Affiliations
- Australian National University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Shelley, Elizabeth J.
- Venue
- Archives of Ophthalmology
- Publisher
- American Medical Association (AMA)
- Published
- 2009-04-01
- Volume
- 127
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 483
- ISSN
- 0003-9950 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2057097982
- Cited by
- 85
- References
- 46
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 5.43
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Locations
- Archives of Ophthalmology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ANU Open Research (Australian National University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Ophthalmology › Retinal Diseases and Treatments
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Retinal Development and Disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Retinal Imaging and Analysis
- Keywords
- age-related macular degeneration, cone opsin, cone degeneration, retinal aging, cone function, AMD progression, immunolabeling
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Animals, Axons, Female, Humans, Macular Degeneration, Male, Middle Aged, Rhodopsin, Tissue Donors, Biomarkers, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells, Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect, Rats, Opsins, Young Adult
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