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The Retinal Pigmented Epithelium edited by Zinn and Marmor is well organized, clearly written, and beautifully illustrated. This scholarly work contains 26 chapters written by distinguished scientists and clinicians. Many have devoted a substantial portion of their careers to the study of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). The book is divided into two equal parts—"I. Structure and Function," and "II. Pathophysiology and Disease."
The RPE is located strategically between the photoreceptor cells of the retina and the choriocapillaris of the choroid. The structure of this pigmented monolayer is deceptively simple, but important. Structure and function are intimately related. The RPE plays a crucial role in the "outer" blood-retinal barrier that is maintained in part by intercellar tight junctions located at the lateral apical margins of these cells. The melanin granules present in its cytoplasm improve image resolution by absorbing light and decreasing light scatter.
The function of the RPE cells