Autologous transplantation of retinal pigment epithelium after mechanical debridement of Bruch's membrane.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether transplantation of autologous retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) will prevent atrophy of the choriocapillaris and loss of photoreceptors in an area in which the RPE has been mechanically debrided from Bruch's membrane.


METHODS
Abrasive debridement of RPE was performed with a metal cannula after localized retinal bleb detachments in two separate areas of the rabbit retina. The RPE cell suspension aspirated from one of the debridement sites was transplanted to the other. The debridement-only site served as control. The transplant and control sites were evaluated after 30 days by color fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.


RESULTS
Compared with debridement only, debridement plus transplantation of RPE resulted in more complete repopulation of the bare Bruch's membrane surface with relative preservation of choriocapillaris and photoreceptors.


CONCLUSIONS
Autologous transplantation of RPE onto an abrasively debrided Bruch's membrane decreases choriocapillaris atrophy and photoreceptor loss.
Phillips
Stephen J
SJ
Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Sadda
Srinivas R
SR
Tso
Mark O M
MO
Humayan
Mark S
MS
de Juan
Eugene
E
Binder
Susanne
S
D000818:Animals; D001284:Atrophy; D016570:Bruch Membrane / Q000601:surgery* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002196:Capillaries; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D002470:Cell Survival; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D002829:Choroid / Q000098:blood supply / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003646:Debridement; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D020419:Photoreceptor Cells, Vertebrate / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000637:transplantation* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011817:Rabbits; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous