Skip to main navigation Skip to search Skip to main content

Genetics of age-related macular degeneration: Current concepts, future directions

  • Harvard University
  • University of Utah

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

83 Scopus citations

Abstract

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive degenerative disease which leads to blindness, affecting the quality of life of millions of Americans. More than 1.75 million individuals in the United States are affected by the advanced form of AMD. The etiological pathway of AMD is not yet fully understood, but there is a clear genetic influence on disease risk. To date, the 1q32 (CFH) and 10q26 (PLEKHA1/ARMS2/HTRA1) loci are the most strongly associated with disease; however, the variation in these genomic regions alone is unable to predict disease development with high accuracy. Therefore, current genetic studies are aimed at identifying new genes associated with AMD and their modifiers, with the goal of discovering diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers. Moreover, these studies provide the foundation for further investigation into the pathophysiology of AMD by utilizing a systems-biology-based approach to elucidate underlying mechanistic pathways.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)77-93
Number of pages17
JournalSeminars in Ophthalmology
Volume26
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2011

Keywords

  • ARMS2/HTRA1
  • CFH
  • choroidal neovascularization
  • complement
  • geographic atrophy
  • susceptibility

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Genetics of age-related macular degeneration: Current concepts, future directions'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this