title: Transdifferentiation of human monocytes into fibroblast-like cells in vitro.
abstract: Proliferative vitreoretinopathy is a process of uncontrolled cell proliferation in the vitreous. There is some evidence that monocytes and macrophages play an essential role during the pathogenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether human monocytes derived from the peripheral blood can transform into fibroblast-like cells under in vitro conditions. To provide similar environmental conditions in vitro, human monocytes were brought onto fresh calf vitreous and kept for 17 days. Monocytes differentiated into macrophages and assumed a fibroblast-like morphology. During transdifferentiation, expression of CD11c was present for only 3 days and that of CD18, for only 7 days. The longest presence was found for CD68 expression, which lasted for 15 days. The present results indicate that human monocytes from the peripheral blood are capable of transforming into fibroblast-like cells under in vitro conditions. Blood-borne monocytes could therefore represent a major source for the fibroblast-like cells found in proliferative vitreoretinopathy.
authors.affiliation: Eye Clinic of the University of Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Reuter
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Champion
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Kain
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018845:CD11 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018821:CD18 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D014822:Vitreous Body; D000097382:CD68 Molecule
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D018845:CD11 Antigens; D018821:CD18 Antigens; C067980:CD68 antigen, human; D000097382:CD68 Molecule