J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.
1999 Sep;40(9):2495-2500.
Phagocytic Function of Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells toLatex Microspheres in Rabbit :Ultrastructural Findings
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Abstract
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Phagocytosis and morphologic changes in the retinal pigment epithelial cell (RPE) were observed after subretinal injection of latex microspheres. Latex microspheres were injected into the subretinal space in the posterior pole of black rabbits through the scleral incision. Five weeks after injection, we enucleated 5 eyeballs which did not show any vitreous or retinal hemorrhage by indirect ophthalmoscopic examination. Choroid and retina of injec-tion site was excised and processed to observe under the transmission electron microscope. The RPE contained numerous latex phagosomes, phagolysosomes, and phagomelanosomes in their cytoplasms. RPE hyperplasia and subretinal membrane were found. These findings suggest that the pathologic response of the RPE, such as proliferation, occur when retinal pigment epithelial cells phagocytize indigestible materials or their intracellular accumulation of phagosome become excessive.