NLRP3 and age-related macular degeneration: Drusen, as a hallmark of AMD progression, has a rich proteinaceous and potentially damaging composition that triggers potential interactions with the NLRP3 inflammasome, including lipids, lipoproteins, RPE-derived cellular debris, e.g., organelles, melanin granules, lipofuscin, amyloid-β (Aβ), apolipoprotein E, and oxidation byproducts, as well as numerous inflammation-related factors, such as complement components, immunoglobulins, HLA molecules, and acute phase proteins (Hageman et al., 1999; Hageman and Mullins, 1999; Crabb et al., 2002; Sakaguchi et al., 2002; Johnson et al., 2011).