Transcriptome of the human retina, retinal pigmented epithelium and choroid

•We provide a brief overview of the eye structure with an emphasis on its posterior layers•We summarize the data and techniques used to characterize the human retina and RPE/choroid transcriptome

The retina and its adjacent supporting tissues - retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) and choroid - are critical structures in human eyes required for normal visual perception. Abnormal changes in these layers have been implicated in diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma. With the advent of high-throughput methods, such as serial analysis of gene expression, cDNA microarray, and RNA sequencing, there is unprecedented opportunity to facilitate our understanding of the normal retina, RPE, and choroid. This information can be used to identify dysfunction in age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma. In this review, we describe the current status in our understanding of these transcriptomes through the use of high-throughput techniques.