Because PGC-1α is a major regulator of mitochondrial function, it may also be an important player in AMD pathogenesis (Kaarniranta et al, 2018) and global knockout mouse models for PGC-1α have been found to mimic some of the degenerative processes characteristic of human AMD (Egger et al, 2012; Zhang et al, 2018). Here, PPARGC1A is linked to age-related macular degeneration.