Immunohistochemical analysis of the internal limiting membrane peeled with infracyanine green.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether the peeled internal limiting membrane (ILM) contains cellular retinal cell fragments, and to learn more about their possible origin.


METHODS
Experimental study.


METHODS
ILM peeled from ten eyes during vitrectomy by infracyanine green (ICG) was studied immunohistochemically using the markers: GFAP, S-100, and vimentin. Five ILM specimens were from eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME), two from eyes with a macular hole, and three from eyes with persisting macular edema after retinal detachment surgery.


RESULTS
In eight of the ten ILM specimens, we found GFAP-positive staining, indicating the presence of remnants of footplates from Müller cells or glial cells. Two ILM specimens were positive for S-100, indicating the presence of neural cells or ganglion cells.


CONCLUSIONS
ILM peeled from the retina during vitrectomy using ICG may contain remnants of Müller cell footplates, neural cells, and ganglion cells.
La Heij
Ellen C
EC
Eye Research Institute Maastricht, Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Maastricht, PO Box 5800, Debyelaan 25, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands. ela@soog.azm.nl
Dieudonné
Suzanne C
SC
Mooy
Cornelia M
CM
Diederen
Roselie M H
RM
Liem
Albert T A
AT
van Suylen
Robert J
RJ
Hendrikse
Fred
F
D000368:Aged; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000601:surgery; D019773:Epiretinal Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007208:Indocyanine Green / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000473:pathology; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000601:surgery; D012167:Retinal Perforations / Q000601:surgery; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014746:Vimentin / Q000378:metabolism; D014821:Vitrectomy
D004396:Coloring Agents; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; C116320:Infracyanine green; D009418:S100 Proteins; D014746:Vimentin; D007208:Indocyanine Green