The lipid metabolism of photoreceptors depends in part on the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). One aspect of cholesterol homeostasis in cultured bovine RPE was evaluated by measuring low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and scavenger receptor activity with [125I]-LDL and [125I]Ac-LDL, respectively. Incubation of RPE cells in the presence of increasing concentrations of LDL or Ac-LDL resulted in down-regulation of the LDL receptor but not the scavenger receptor, patterns consistent with the presence of both receptors on these cells. This receptor profile distinguishes the RPE cell from fibroblasts and indicates its similarity to macrophages and arterial endothelial cells.