Immunohistochemical Study of Proliferative Vitreoretinal Membranes

ABSTRACT

To identify the cellular components of proliferative vitreoretinal membranes. 11 proliferative vitreoretinal membranes which were surgically obtained from 7 eyes with proliferative vitreo retinopathy (PVR) and 4 eyes with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) were stained with monoclonal antibodies against cytokeratin, glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP), or vimentin using immunoperoxidase technique (ABC method). In PVR membranes, mean cell positivities for cytokeratin, GFAP and vimentin were 48%, 1% and 92%, respectively and in PDR membranes, 0%, 5% and 93%, respectively. The above results suggest that retinal pigment epithelial celIs and fibroblasts are major cellular components of PVR membranes, and mesenchymal cells are major cellular components and glial cells minor cellular components of PDR membranes.