title: The toxic effect of air on primary human retinal pigment epithelium cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the toxic effect of air on primary human retinal pigment epithelium cells (RPE) over time.
  
  
  METHODS
  RPE cultures were retrieved from six donor eyes and cultivated at 37 °C in 5% CO(2) and 95% humidified air. The RPE were divided in six groups with each group containing four samples. Six groups of RPE cultures were set up and four samples were enclosed in each group: group 1 consisted of samples in which RPE were exposed to air for 1 hour. Group 2 consisted of RPE exposed to air for 3 hours, group 3 for 6 hours group 4 for 12 hours group 5 for 24 hours and group 6 for 36 hours respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six hours after exposure, the morphology of the cells was still intact. At 12 hours few cells appeared enlarged. 24 hours after exposure to air the cells started losing their typical morphology and appeared deformed. Viability was higher than 95% in groups 1-3 while for groups 4-6 was 75.5%, 15.5% and 7.3%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The toxic effect of air for the studied in vitro model of RPE is not significant for the first 6 hours. The morphology of the cells progressively changed after 12 hours of exposure and almost all cells appeared apoptotic at 36 hours.
authors.affiliation: Moorfields Eye Hospital , London , UK and.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kopsachilis
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carifi
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsatsos
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Welge-Luessen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000388:Air; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017209:Apoptosis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants
keywords: Air toxicity; internal gas tamponade; pars plana vitrectomy; pneumoretinopexy; retinal pigment epithelium