Furthermore, heat-shock protein 70 (HSP70) induction may prevent photoreceptor cell death in rodent models of RP.16 Ischemic insults, oxidative stress and other factors induce the small heat-shock protein 27 (HSP27/HspB1) in retinal cells, providing neuroprotection due to its molecular chaperone activity, interaction with the cytoskeleton and prevention of apoptotic cell death.17 This evidence concerns the gene HSPB1 and retinitis pigmentosa 1.