These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Ex-vivo models of the Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE) in long-term culture faithfully recapitulate key structural and physiological features of native RPE.
    Author: Lynn SA, Ward G, Keeling E, Scott JA, Cree AJ, Johnston DA, Page A, Cuan-Urquizo E, Bhaskar A, Grossel MC, Tumbarello DA, Newman TA, Lotery AJ, Ratnayaka JA.
    Journal: Tissue Cell; 2017 Aug; 49(4):447-460. PubMed ID: 28669519.
    Abstract:
    The Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE) forms the primary site of pathology in several blinding retinopathies. RPE cultures are being continuously refined so that dynamic disease processes in this important monolayer can be faithfully studied outside the eye over longer periods. The RPE substrate, which mimics the supportive Bruch's membrane (BrM), plays a key role in determining how well in-vitro cultures recapitulate native RPE cells. Here, we evaluate how two different types of BrM substrates; (1) a commercially-available polyester transwell membrane, and (2) a novel electrospun scaffold developed in our laboratory, could support the generation of realistic RPE tissues in culture. Our findings reveal that both substrates were capable of supporting long-lasting RPE monolayers with structural and functional specialisations of in-situ RPE cells. These cultures were used to study autofluorescence and barrier formation, as well as activities such as outer-segment internalisation/trafficking and directional secretion of key proteins; the impairment of which underlies retinal disease. Hence, both substrates fulfilled important criteria for generating authentic in-vitro cultures and act as powerful tools to study RPE pathophysiology. However, RPE grown on electrospun scaffolds may be better suited to studying complex RPE-BrM interactions such as the formation of drusen-like deposits associated with early retinal disease.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]