Short-term study of allogeneic retinal pigment epithelium transplants onto debrided Bruch's membrane.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the survival and behavior of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) microaggregates transplanted onto hydraulically debrided Bruch's membrane and to compare results of using three different vehicles for cell delivery.


METHODS
RPE microaggregates obtained from male cats were transplanted onto the tapetal area of female cats after native RPE was debrided. For the control, one of three vehicles was introduced into the debridements. Each transplant or control specimen was analyzed histologically and immunohistochemically. Transplanted male RPE cells were identified by in situ labeling of the cat Y chromosome.


RESULTS
Histologically, significant numbers of condensed, darkly stained RPE nuclei were observed in all transplants compared with few TUNEL-positive RPE cells. Cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein was present up to day 7 in all RPE cells in transplants. In both transplant and control specimens, the antibody against the Ki-67 nuclear antigen labeled some RPE cells at day 3. TUNEL-positive outer nuclear layer nuclei were most frequently observed at day 1, but were much less frequent at 7 days in both transplant and control specimens.


CONCLUSIONS
Transplanted RPE appeared to retain at least some markers of differentiation up to 7 days after surgery. Some proliferation of transplanted RPE cells was also seen. Apoptotic cell death of transplanted RPE, as judged by TUNEL staining was observed rarely. RPE transplants imposed no adverse effect on the overlying retina. RPE survival appeared to be similar with each of the three vehicles for cell delivery.
Wang
H
H
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark 07103-2499, USA.
Leonard
D S
DS
Castellarin
A A
AA
Tsukahara
I
I
Ninomiya
Y
Y
Yagi
F
F
Cheewatrakoolpong
N
N
Sugino
I K
IK
Zarbin
M A
MA
D000818:Animals; D016570:Bruch Membrane / Q000601:surgery*; D002415:Cats; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D002470:Cell Survival; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D003646:Debridement; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014998:Y Chromosome / Q000737:chemistry
D019394:Ki-67 Antigen