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Transplantation of cultured human retinal pigment epithelium into rabbit subretina
- Source :
- Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie. 231(12)
- Publication Year :
- 1993
-
Abstract
- Transplantation of normal retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) into a diseased eye holds promise for treatment of several blinding disorders. Previuos studies have involved immunosuppression and implantation of freshly isolated cells. We report here the successful transplantation of cultured human RPE cells into rabbits that were not immunosuppressed. A modified pars plana transvitreal technique was used for RPE transplantation. The cultured RPE cells, loaded with carbon as a marker, were transplanted into the denuded Bruch's membrane of albino rabbits. The animals were followed for from 1 week to 3 months. On histologic examination at 2 months, no infiltrating lymphocytes were found in the vitreous cavity or choroid, even though Bruch's membrane was damaged. At about 3 months there were some macrophages in the subretina of transplanted eyes, indicating that an immunoreaction does occur eventually. Electron microscopy of the transplanted RPE showed apical-basal polarity and gap junctions. Restored function was attested to by the presence of phagosomes and phagocytosed outer segments in the transplanted cells. Our findings suggest that there is a weak, delayed immunoreaction to human RPE cells transplanted beneath the retina of the rabbit; however, functional recovery of the transplanted cells occurs before this immune response develops.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Male
Pathology
medicine.medical_specialty
genetic structures
Cell Transplantation
Fundus Oculi
medicine.medical_treatment
Transplantation, Heterologous
Biology
Retina
Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Immune system
medicine
Animals
Humans
Photoreceptor Cells
Pigment Epithelium of Eye
Cells, Cultured
Retinal pigment epithelium
Lagomorpha
Immunosuppression
biology.organism_classification
Rod Cell Outer Segment
eye diseases
Sensory Systems
Transplantation
Ophthalmology
medicine.anatomical_structure
Cell culture
Female
sense organs
Choroid
Rabbits
Follow-Up Studies
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 0721832X
- Volume :
- 231
- Issue :
- 12
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....33e01c9e0a8cbbed1f0555ca61cc223d