N-retinylidine-N-retinyl phosphatidyl ethanolamine

Introduction

N-retinylidine-N-retinyl phosphatidyl ethanolamine is formed from reaction of phosphatidylethanolamine & retinaldehyde in disc membranes of photoreceptor outer segments. After the shed discs are phagocytosed by the retinal pigment epithelium, the molecule loses its phosphoglyceroid moiety to leave N-retinylidine-N-retinyl ethanolamine (the major component of lipofuscin in pigment epithelium).

More general terms

• Schiff base (aldimine)
• retinoid
• phosphatidylethanolamine; cephalin

Additional terms

• lipofuscin
• N-retinylidine-N-retinyl ethanolamine