It has been shown that the rod cell death caused by genetic mutations occurs mainly through apoptosis in several models of RP.7,8 Consistent with these findings, our previous study showed that RIP kinase inhibition suppresses necrotic cone but not apoptotic rod cell death in rd10 mice.9 In contrast, Sato et al.10 recently reported that rod cell death is partly mediated by the RIP kinase-dependent pathway in Irbp-deficient mice. The gene discussed is RBP3; the disease is retinitis pigmentosa 1.