| Summary: | Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is characterized by the formation of
fibrocellular membranes in the vitreous and on the surfaces of the retina. These
membranes exert tractional forces on the retina, causing retinal tears and/or detachments.
The purpose of this study is to develop a reproducible animal model that closely mimics
PVR in the clinical setting.
The retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell is the major cell type found in PVR
membranes. We cultured RPE cells from a human epiretinal membrane (ERM) obtained
at surgery from a patient with PVR, and injected them into the right eye of 24 albino
rabbits. The eyes were examined by indirect ophthalmoscopy over 4 weeks. By day 7, all
but one of the 24 eyes developed proliferative vitreoretinopathy, with 8 progressing to
localized tractional retinal detachment (TRD). By day 21,17 out of the 24 eyes had
developed localized TRD. One eye went on to develop an extensive TRD by day 28.
Immunostaining showed that mostly RPE cells, but also myofibroblasts, glial cells, and
collagen were present in the newly formed rabbit PVR membranes. Thus, human RPE
cells cultured from a human PVR membrane appear to be capable of inducing PVR in
rabbits. The resultant epiretinal membranes are similar to those formed in human PVR,
and consist mainly of RPE cells. === Medicine, Faculty of === Graduate
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