Transplantation of full-thickness retina in the rhodopsin transgenic pig.
OBJECTIVE
To establish the morphology of full-thickness neuroretinal grafts transplanted to hosts with degenerative photoreceptor disease.


METHODS
Twenty rhodopsin transgenic pigs received a neuroretinal sheet from a neonatal normal pig in one eye. Following vitrectomy and retinotomy with bleb formation, the grafts were positioned inside the bleb between the host neuroretina and retinal pigment epithelium. After a survival time of 4 months, eye specimens were studied by light and electron microscopy as well as with immunohistochemical markers.


RESULTS
One eye developed endophthalmitis in the immediate postoperative period and was terminated. Laminated grafts with correct polarity were found in 13 of the remaining 19 eyes. In most cases, these grafts had well-developed organized photoreceptors with outer segments apposed to the host retinal pigment epithelium. The inner layers of the graft contained mostly Müller cells. Both eyes of the hosts had a reduction of photoreceptor cells in most of the retina, while inner layers remained relatively intact.


CONCLUSIONS
Full-thickness neuroretinal grafts can be transplanted to a large animal host with photoreceptor degeneration. The transplantation procedure is relatively atraumatic to both graft and host tissue, and the grafts survive well for at least 4 months. The graft and host retina does not seem to form extensive neuronal contacts, and future work must be directed at stimulating such activity without disrupting the retinal neuronal organization.
Ghosh
Fredrik
F
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Lund, Lund University Hospital, SE-22185 Lund, Sweden. fredrik.ghosh@oft.lu.se
Wong
Fulton
F
Johansson
Kjell
K
Bruun
Anitha
A
Petters
Robert M
RM
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016764:Cell Polarity; D005136:Eye Proteins; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006085:Graft Survival; D051597:Hippocalcin; D008074:Lipoproteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D020419:Photoreceptor Cells, Vertebrate / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism; D051603:Recoverin; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012243:Rhodopsin / Q000235:genetics*; D013552:Swine / Q000235:genetics; D014746:Vimentin / Q000378:metabolism
D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D008074:Lipoproteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D014746:Vimentin; D051603:Recoverin; D051597:Hippocalcin; D012243:Rhodopsin; D011493:Protein Kinase C