Circadian and Noncircadian Modulation of Autophagy in Photoreceptors and Retinal Pigment Epithelium

Abstract

Activation of autophagy in the outer retina exhibits a bimodal pattern that correlates with shifts in transduction proteins within the photoreceptor and by circadian ingestion of outer segments in the RPE. These dynamic shifts suggest a critical role for this pathway in maintaining homeostasis, with further study needed to define the mechanisms underlying the regulation of this phenomenon.