A brief review of retinitis pigmentosa and the identified retinitis pigmentosa genes

The family of inherited ocular diseases that is collectively known as retin itis pigmentosa is a major cause of progressive retinal disease worldwide. As such, this family of diseases has been the object of much scientific scr utiny, both clinical and basic. The recent application of molecular genetic analyses has heralded the rapid elucidation of the underlying gene defects in many cases. In this article, the fundamental clinical and electroretino graphic characteristics of retinitis pigmentosa will be recalled. Additiona lly, the current understanding of the genetic causes of retinitis pigmentos a will be reviewed, and the identified causative genes will be classified i nto groups related by function.