J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  1995 Sep;36(9):1481-1492.

Collagen Matrix Contraction by Cell of Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy

• Kwak HW
• Kim HK
• Kim HK
• Kim JM

Abstract

Epiretinal membrane by retinal detachment and proliferative vitreoretinopathy is mainly thought to be composed by choroidal fibroblast and retinal pigment epithelium. We, therefore evaluated the relative contractibility of cell-types thought to be involved in epiretinal membrane formation. Rabbit dermal fibroblast(RDF), were suspended in floating type I collagen matrix. The cells were used at a concentration of 200,000 cells per 1 ml of collagen matrix. The concentration of the collagen was adjusted to 3 mg/ml. Morphologic study of matrix contraction were performed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The contraction was found to be proportional to the serum concentration. Without the serum concentration, the contraction did not occur. Fibroblast contracted the matrix to 46% of its original area in 3 days and RPE contracted the matrix below 20% in 3 days. The cell free collagen matrix consisted of a mesh interweaving collagen fiber measuring 0.2 - 0.5 microgram in diameter, but the collagen fiber with fibroblast and RPE were aggregated to form a bundle to 2 micrometer in diameter. RPE and fibroblast reorganize the collagen matrix through celluar locomotion and attachment to collagen fiber. Fibroblast presented more potent contraction than RPE.

Keyword

Collagen; Contraction; Fibroblast; Retinal Pigment Epithelium; SEM; TEM

MeSH Terms

Choroid
Collagen Type I
Collagen*
Epiretinal Membrane
Fibroblasts
Locomotion
Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
Retinal Detachment
Retinal Pigment Epithelium
Vitreoretinopathy, Proliferative*
Collagen
Collagen Type I