TY - JOUR
T1 - Transplanted and repopulated retinal pigment epithelial cells on damaged Bruch's membrane in rabbits
AU - Shiragami, Chieko
AU - Matsuo, Toshihiko
AU - Shiraga, Fumio
AU - Matsuo, Nobuhiko
PY - 1998
Y1 - 1998
N2 - Aims - The authors studied how artificially damaged Bruch's membrane influenced growth and differentiation of transplanted embryonic retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and of host RPE cells in rabbits. Methods - Embryonic RPE cells obtained from pigmented rabbits were transplanted into the subretinal space of adult albino rabbits. The host RPE was removed with a silicone cannula, and Bruch's membrane was damaged by scratching with a micro-hooked 27 gauge needle under the detached retina in closed vitrectomy. The transplantation sites were examined 3, 7, and 14 days after surgery by light and electron microscopy. Results - Varying degrees of damage in Bruch's membrane were observed. Pigmented and hypopigmented RPE cells showed a normal polarity and tight junctions were seen at the sites of mild to moderate damage 3-7 days after the surgery. In contrast, fibroblast-like cells with no such features of RPE cells formed multiple layers at the sites of severe damage involving the full thickness of Bruch's membrane and the choriocapillaris even 14 days after the surgery. Without transplantation, host RPE cells repopulated the damaged areas in the same way as transplanted RPE cells. Conclusions - Transplanted embryonic RPE cells as well as host RPE cells grew and differentiated on the moderately damaged Bruch's membrane, while the severely damaged Bruch's membrane did not allow differentiation of RPE cells although these cells could grow and cover the damaged areas.
AB - Aims - The authors studied how artificially damaged Bruch's membrane influenced growth and differentiation of transplanted embryonic retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and of host RPE cells in rabbits. Methods - Embryonic RPE cells obtained from pigmented rabbits were transplanted into the subretinal space of adult albino rabbits. The host RPE was removed with a silicone cannula, and Bruch's membrane was damaged by scratching with a micro-hooked 27 gauge needle under the detached retina in closed vitrectomy. The transplantation sites were examined 3, 7, and 14 days after surgery by light and electron microscopy. Results - Varying degrees of damage in Bruch's membrane were observed. Pigmented and hypopigmented RPE cells showed a normal polarity and tight junctions were seen at the sites of mild to moderate damage 3-7 days after the surgery. In contrast, fibroblast-like cells with no such features of RPE cells formed multiple layers at the sites of severe damage involving the full thickness of Bruch's membrane and the choriocapillaris even 14 days after the surgery. Without transplantation, host RPE cells repopulated the damaged areas in the same way as transplanted RPE cells. Conclusions - Transplanted embryonic RPE cells as well as host RPE cells grew and differentiated on the moderately damaged Bruch's membrane, while the severely damaged Bruch's membrane did not allow differentiation of RPE cells although these cells could grow and cover the damaged areas.
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U2 - 10.1136/bjo.82.9.1056
DO - 10.1136/bjo.82.9.1056
M3 - Article
C2 - 9893598
AN - SCOPUS:0031682186
VL - 82
SP - 1056
EP - 1062
JO - British Journal of Ophthalmology
JF - British Journal of Ophthalmology
SN - 0007-1161
IS - 9
ER -