J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  1996 Oct;37(10):1648-1655.

Immunohistochemical Stain and Electron Microscopic Study on the Pericytes of Fibrovascular Diabetic Preretinal Membrane

• Woo KH
• Kim KS
• Kwon KY

Abstract

Seven fibrovascular diabetic preretinal membranes were examined with lightmicroscophic immunohistochemical stain and electron-microscopy to evaluate the possibility of pericytes to be involved in membrane contraction. Pericytes were positively stained with anti-actin antibody together with some stromal cells thought to be myofibroblasts presumedly. On transmission electron microscopic study, pericytes were highly active with numerous cytoplasmic processes and contained abundant microfilaments considered as actin in their cytoplasm. Pericyte/endothelial cell ratio of vascular channels were increased in some actively proliferative portion of the membranes. Myofibroblasts that contain abundant cytoplasmic microfilaments were also demonstrated in the extravascular stroma of the membranes and were very similar to the pericytes morphologically. Although the evidence that the pericytes are related to the origin of the myofibroblasts could not be demonstrated, this study suggested that the pericytes may play important roles in development and contraction mechanism of fibrovascular diabetic preretinal membranes.

Keyword

Actin microfilament; Diabetic preretinal membrane; Electronmicroscopy; Immunohistochemical stain; Pericytes

MeSH Terms

Actin Cytoskeleton
Actins
Cytoplasm
Membranes*
Myofibroblasts
Pericytes*
Stromal Cells
Actins