According to a study at the Department of Ophthalmology, Northwestern University School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, smoking can cause changes in the retinal pigment epithelia.This article tries to gain insight in to the new finding.
What is Retinal Pigment Epithelia?
- It is the outer layer of the retina of the eye.
- This layer consists of densely packed hexagonal cells with pigments.
- Pigments are substances which change the color of the light they reflect by absorbing some colors present in the incident light.
- Retinal Pigment Epithelia’s primary function is to nourish the cells in the retina.
- It also protects the cells in the retina from infections by a process called phagocytosis.
- In this process,the white blood cells absorb the harmful bacteria and dead cells to enhance immunity of the cells in the retina.
What the study involved?
- Mice were exposed to chronic smoke of cigarette.
- The effect of Benzo(a)Pyrene, a toxic element found in the cigarette smoke was studied.
- The damage caused on the Mitochondrial DNA was measured.
- The Mitochondrial DNA is an element found in the cells of the retina.
- It converts energy obtained from the food in a form which the cells can use.
What the study revealed?
- Smoking can cause significant amount of damage to the Mitochodrial DNA.
- They hamper the process of absorption of bacterias by the white blood cells to protect retina.
- In this way the risk of infection in the Retinal Pigment Epithelia is high.
- It also causes formation of Drusen.
- Drusen are white or yellow color accumulations of some extra cellular materials in the corners of the eyes.
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November 18th, 2009 at 7:45 am
I am an associated professor of chest diseases in Faculty of Medicine in Ain Shams University ,Cairo – Egypt