[An ultrastructural observation on rat retina after photoreceptor cell implantation].
OBJECTIVE
To further study the retinal neuronal signal.


METHODS
The Wistar/RCS (RCS rats are rats with hereditary photoreceptor degeneration) rats were respectively as donors/acceptors, and the retinal pathway was reconstructed with the technique of pure photoreceptor transplantation. The photoreceptor layer of the retina was obtained with the technique of retinal whittle by manual method or excimer laser. The specimens were got separately at 2 weeks and 1 month after the transplantation and studied under the light and transmission electron microscopes.


RESULTS
Most transplanted photoreceptors with physical poles were lined up regularly between the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and inner nuclear layer. It was shown that in the new outer plexiform layer the relatively integral synapse and its interconnection were seen.


CONCLUSIONS
The retinal neuronal pathway can be reconstructed by retinal transplantation.
Wang
W
W
Department of Ophthalmology, The Third Hospital of Beijing Medical University, Beijing 100083, China.
Ma
M
M
Zhang
H
H
Bai
F
F
D000818:Animals; D019773:Epiretinal Membrane / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017949:Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells / Q000473:pathology* / Q000637:transplantation; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000473:pathology; D017948:Retinal Rod Photoreceptor Cells / Q000473:pathology* / Q000637:transplantation; D013569:Synapses / Q000648:ultrastructure*