Transplantation of full-thickness retina in the normal porcine eye: surgical and morphologic aspects.
OBJECTIVE
To report a surgical technique for transplantation of full-thickness neuroretinal sheets into the subretinal space of a large animal with a vascularized retina and to establish the light microscopic morphology of such specimens.


METHODS
Twelve normal pigs underwent transplantation of a neuroretinal sheet from a neonatal donor into the subretinal space by means of a vitrectomy-based technique. After a survival of 33 to 72 days, eye specimens were studied with a light microscope.


RESULTS
In most eyes, the transplants displayed a laminated morphology, with photoreceptor outer segments facing the host retinal pigment epithelium. These grafts had normal outer retinal layers, while the inner layers were less developed. The host retina straddling the graft showed evidence of photoreceptor degeneration, but the inner layers were well preserved.


CONCLUSIONS
Full-thickness neuroretinal sheets can be transplanted to the subretinal space of a large animal eye with a vascularized retina. The grafts survive well and display mostly photoreceptors, which in combination with the well-preserved host inner retina may be of importance in attempts at reconstructing the retina in photoreceptor degenerative disease.
Ghosh
Fredrik
F
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Lund, Lund University Hospital, Lund, Sweden. Fredrik.Ghosh@oft.lu.se
Arnér
Karin
K
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D006085:Graft Survival; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures; D020419:Photoreceptor Cells, Vertebrate / Q000473:pathology*; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000473:pathology*; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000637:transplantation*; D013552:Swine