IMR Press / FBL / Volume 27 / Issue 3 / DOI: 10.31083/j.fbl2703106
Open Access Original Research
Long-Term Ultrastructural Outcomes of Autologous Transplantation of Retinal Pigment Epithelium—Partial Thickness Choroid (RPE-PTC) Sheet in Rabbits
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1 Department of Ophthalmology, Eye Center, Beijng Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, 102218 Beijing, China
2 Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University Third Hospital, 100083 Beijing, China
3 Department of Ophthalmology, Beijing Friendship Hospital affiliated to Capital medical university, 100050 Beijing, China
4 Beijing Key Laboratory of Restoration of Damaged Ocular Nerve, Peking University Third Hospital, 100083 Beijing, China
5 Laboratory of Electron Microscope, Peking University Medical and Health Analysis Center, 100083 Beijing, China
*Correspondence: ythu203@163.com; ythu@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn (Yuntao Hu); puh3_yk@bjmu.edu.cn (Zhizhong Ma)
Academic Editors: Shikun He and Graham Pawelec
Front. Biosci. (Landmark Ed) 2022, 27(3), 106; https://doi.org/10.31083/j.fbl2703106
Submitted: 11 December 2021 | Revised: 6 February 2022 | Accepted: 28 February 2022 | Published: 18 March 2022
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Eye and Vision Research)
Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.
This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Abstract

Background: To observe the ultrastructural outcomes of autologous transplantation of retinal pigment epithelium-partial-thickness choroidal (RPE-PTC) sheets in rabbits after 6 months. Methods: Eighteen pigmented rabbits were used in this study. Among them, nine rabbits were used for autologous transplantation of RPE-PTC sheets. Tissue sections were observed under a transmission electron microscope for one, three, and six months after transplantation, respectively. Results: One, three, and six months after the autologous transplantation of RPE-PTC sheets, the inner and outer segments of photoreceptor cells were arranged regularly, and the connection between the inner and outer segments was normal. The inner structure of the RPE cells and tight junctions among them remained normal. Phagocytosis of outer segment of photoreceptor cells could also be observed in RPE cells. The structure of the Bruch’s membrane appeared loose, rather than being dense as normal, and it was undulated after one and three months, while it became dense after six months. The graft and the bed were healed well, the boundary was unclear, and the graft was vascularized after one, three, and six months, respectively. Conclusions: Our findings revealed that the RPE-PTC sheets could quickly rebuild blood vessels, thereby maintaining the normal physiological functions of RPE cells, as well as the survival and functional status of photoreceptor cells for a long-time.

Keywords
age-related macular degeneration
autologous transplantation
retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)
ultrastructure
transmission electron microscopy
Figures
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