Anmeldung zur Tagung
Registration
Grußwort
Invitation
Themen
Topics
Allgemeiner Ablauf
General overview
Wissenschaftliches Programm
Scientific program
Kurse
Courses
Symposien
Symposiums
Frühstück mit Spezialisten
Breakfast with specialists
Arzthelferinnen-Fortbildung
Rahmenprogramm
Social program
DOG Information
DOG Information
Allgemeine Informationen
General Information
Autorenindex
Index of Authors
Ausstellerliste
Exhibitors
Sponsoren
Sponsors
Teilnahmegebühren
Registration fees
Impressum
Transplanted retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells in non-immuneprivileged but not in privileged ocular sites transform into fibroblastlike cells in mice.
1Grasbon T., 2Knörnschild T., 2Wilsch C., 1Kampik A., 2Lütjen-Drecoll E.
1Augenklinik der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München; 2Anatomisches Institut II der Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Purpose: In proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) membranes and
in vitro, RPE cells lose pigment and transform into fibroblast-like cells.
Purpose of this study was to investigate whether RPE cells injected into
non-immuneprivileged sites of the eye (choroid and conjunctiva) in contrast
to what is known from immune-privileged sites undergo the same transformation.
Material and methods: Freshly dissected and dissociated RPE cells
from normal wild type pigmented mice (C57/BL6) were transplanted into
the right eyes of albino mice (BALB/c). Through an equatorial sclerostomy,
cells were either injected intravitreally (n=21), directly subretinally
(n=3), subretinally by a transvitreal approach (n=16), and subconjunctivally
(n=4). Eyes were enucleated after 1, 2, 4 and 6 weeks, and transplants
were investigated by light (n=23) and electron microscopy (n=21).
Results: The heterologous transplanted RPE cells lose pigment and
transform into more spindle shaped cells when injected into the recipient
choroid and more so into the subconjunctival connective tissue. This was
seen after 1 week. Loss of pigment progresses within the next weeks. In
none of the eyes and in none of the sites, an inflammatory reaction was
seen. In the vitreous, anterior chamber and subretinal space, the RPE
cells were round, exhibited processes and were still pigmented even 6
weeks after implantation. The RPE of the albino recipient, but not the
ciliary epithelium incorporated pigment granules into their apical cytoplasm.
Conclusion: Our finding that in our model transplanted RPE cells
in nonprivileged regions of the eye in contrast to immune-privileged sites
transform into fibroblast-like cells could indicate that loss of immune
privilege of the eye might be one of the factors responsible for transformation
of RPE cells in PVR.