title: Isolation and cultivation of canine uveal melanocytes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish a method for isolation and culture of canine uveal melanocytes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Uveal explants from five mixed-breed dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Donor globes were dissected, and the anterior uvea removed. The uveal explants were placed in trypsin solution for enzymatic digestion. Extracted cells were cultured in modified F12 media. Immunocytochemistry was performed to confirm the identity of the extracted cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Melanocytes were successfully isolated from uveal explants. Contaminating cell types were not observed. Repeated passaging of the melanocytes resulted in a gradual decrease in intracellular pigment. Melanocyte cell lines could be cryopreserved, thawed, and cultures successfully reestablished.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This extraction technique allows for generation of large populations of canine uveal melanocytes in a relatively short period of time. This technique could be a useful tool for future studies investigating both normal cellular characteristics and alterations found in melanocytes from dogs with ocular melanocytic disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824-1314, USA.|Genetics Program, College of Natural Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824-1314, USA.
authors.forename: Ethan M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Dawson-Baglien
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824-1314, USA.|Genetics Program, College of Natural Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824-1314, USA.
authors.forename: Paige A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Winkler
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824-1314, USA.
authors.forename: Ashlee R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Bruewer
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824-1314, USA.|Genetics Program, College of Natural Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824-1314, USA.
authors.forename: Simon M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Petersen-Jones
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824-1314, USA.
authors.forename: Joshua T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Bartoe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media; D004285:Dogs / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D014602:Uvea / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media
keywords: canine; cell culture; dog; iris; melanocyte; uvea