title: Idiopathic epiretinal membranes. Ultrastructural characteristics and clinicopathologic correlation.
abstract: Current theories of idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM) pathogenesis, based mainly on clinical and autopsy studies, emphasize a glial tissue origin. The clinical and ultrastructural features of 101 cases of idiopathic ERMs removed from the macular area during vitrectomy were studied. The predominant cell type was retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in 51 cases, fibrous astrocytes in 29 cases, fibrocytes in 14 cases, and myofibroblasts in 7 cases. Features of myofibroblastic differentiation were present in 64 cases. Myofibrocytes were more common in younger patients with shorter duration of symptoms. Fibrous astrocytes were more common in females. The high incidence of RPE cells in this series raises new questions regarding the pathogenesis of idiopathic ERMs.
authors.affiliation: Eye Pathology Laboratory, Wilmer Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Smiddy
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Maguire
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Michels
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: de la Cruz
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Enger
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jaeger
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Rice
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008566:Membranes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008875:Middle Aged; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000166:cytology; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014821:Vitrectomy