Abstract
In the Royal College of Surgeons rat with inherited retinal dystrophy, photoreceptor cell degeneration is accompanied by retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell alterations and Müller cell changes such as increased expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Vascular changes such as vascularization of the RPE, vascular proliferation, and formation of vitreoretinal membranes (VRMs) are observed later. To study the relationship of Müller cell changes to the vascular alterations in the dystrophic retina, we used immunoperoxidase techniques and antibodies against GFAP and vimentin. Our study showed that during photoreceptor degeneration, Müller cells expressed small amounts of GFAP. As degeneration progressed, GFAP expression increased and morphological alterations occurred in Müller cells. Müller cell apical processes extended and proliferated in the subretinal space and contacted the apical surface of duplicated RPE cells. Later, GFAP reactive fibers surrounded retinal vessels apposed to the RPE. As the vessels became enmeshed within the RPE, the GFAP‐positive perivascular processes disappeared. Eventually, the RPE‐associated vessels became displaced into the inner retina where VRMs were sometimes observed. Immunoblots showed increased GFAP in dystrophic as compared with control retinas. Studies of vimentin distribution in the dystrophic retina showed results similar to the GFAP study. Moreover, the vimentin study suggested increased number of Müller cell processes in the dystrophic as compared with control retinas. The close temporal and anatomical relationships among Müller cell, RPE, and vascular changes in the dystrophic rat suggest a role for Müller cells in retinal neovascularization and proliferative retinopathy.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 464-475 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | GLIA |
| Volume | 3 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 1990 |
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Keywords
- Glia
- Glial fibrillary acidic protein
- Neovascularization
- Vimentin
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neurology
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Cite this
Müller cell changes precede vascularization of the pigment epithelium in the dystrophic rat retina. / Roque, Rouel S.; Caldwell, Ruth B.
In: GLIA, Vol. 3, No. 6, 01.01.1990, p. 464-475.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Müller cell changes precede vascularization of the pigment epithelium in the dystrophic rat retina
AU - Roque, Rouel S.
AU - Caldwell, Ruth B
PY - 1990/1/1
Y1 - 1990/1/1
N2 - In the Royal College of Surgeons rat with inherited retinal dystrophy, photoreceptor cell degeneration is accompanied by retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell alterations and Müller cell changes such as increased expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Vascular changes such as vascularization of the RPE, vascular proliferation, and formation of vitreoretinal membranes (VRMs) are observed later. To study the relationship of Müller cell changes to the vascular alterations in the dystrophic retina, we used immunoperoxidase techniques and antibodies against GFAP and vimentin. Our study showed that during photoreceptor degeneration, Müller cells expressed small amounts of GFAP. As degeneration progressed, GFAP expression increased and morphological alterations occurred in Müller cells. Müller cell apical processes extended and proliferated in the subretinal space and contacted the apical surface of duplicated RPE cells. Later, GFAP reactive fibers surrounded retinal vessels apposed to the RPE. As the vessels became enmeshed within the RPE, the GFAP‐positive perivascular processes disappeared. Eventually, the RPE‐associated vessels became displaced into the inner retina where VRMs were sometimes observed. Immunoblots showed increased GFAP in dystrophic as compared with control retinas. Studies of vimentin distribution in the dystrophic retina showed results similar to the GFAP study. Moreover, the vimentin study suggested increased number of Müller cell processes in the dystrophic as compared with control retinas. The close temporal and anatomical relationships among Müller cell, RPE, and vascular changes in the dystrophic rat suggest a role for Müller cells in retinal neovascularization and proliferative retinopathy.
AB - In the Royal College of Surgeons rat with inherited retinal dystrophy, photoreceptor cell degeneration is accompanied by retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell alterations and Müller cell changes such as increased expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Vascular changes such as vascularization of the RPE, vascular proliferation, and formation of vitreoretinal membranes (VRMs) are observed later. To study the relationship of Müller cell changes to the vascular alterations in the dystrophic retina, we used immunoperoxidase techniques and antibodies against GFAP and vimentin. Our study showed that during photoreceptor degeneration, Müller cells expressed small amounts of GFAP. As degeneration progressed, GFAP expression increased and morphological alterations occurred in Müller cells. Müller cell apical processes extended and proliferated in the subretinal space and contacted the apical surface of duplicated RPE cells. Later, GFAP reactive fibers surrounded retinal vessels apposed to the RPE. As the vessels became enmeshed within the RPE, the GFAP‐positive perivascular processes disappeared. Eventually, the RPE‐associated vessels became displaced into the inner retina where VRMs were sometimes observed. Immunoblots showed increased GFAP in dystrophic as compared with control retinas. Studies of vimentin distribution in the dystrophic retina showed results similar to the GFAP study. Moreover, the vimentin study suggested increased number of Müller cell processes in the dystrophic as compared with control retinas. The close temporal and anatomical relationships among Müller cell, RPE, and vascular changes in the dystrophic rat suggest a role for Müller cells in retinal neovascularization and proliferative retinopathy.
KW - Glia
KW - Glial fibrillary acidic protein
KW - Neovascularization
KW - Vimentin
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0025532995&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0025532995&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/glia.440030605
DO - 10.1002/glia.440030605
M3 - Article
C2 - 2148549
AN - SCOPUS:0025532995
VL - 3
SP - 464
EP - 475
JO - GLIA
JF - GLIA
SN - 0894-1491
IS - 6
ER -