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Updated: Jul 18, 2026
Isolation of Primary Murine Retinal Ganglion Cells (RGCs) by Flow Cytometry
Published on: July 5, 2017
Identification of ganglion cell neurites in human subretinal and epiretinal membranes
Geoffrey P Lewis1, Kellen E Betts, Charanjit S Sethi
1Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA. g_lewis@lifesci.ucsb.edu
Aim:
To determine whether neural elements are present in subretinal and epiretinal proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) membranes as well as in diabetic, fibrovascular membranes removed from patients during vitrectomy surgery.
Methods:
Human subretinal and epiretinal membranes of varying durations were immunolabelled with different combinations of antibodies to glial fibrillary acidic protein, vimentin, neurofilament protein and laminin.
Results:
Anti-neurofilament-labelled neurites from presumptive ganglion cells were frequently found in epiretinal membranes and occasionally found in subretinal membranes. In addition, the neurites were only observed in regions that also contained glial processes.
Conclusions:
These data demonstrate that neuronal processes are commonly found in human peri-retinal cellular membranes similar to that demonstrated in animal models. These data also suggest that glial cells growing out of the neural retina form a permissive substrate for neurite growth and thus may hold clues to factors that support this growth.
Insights
Neural elements, including neurites, are frequently present in human epiretinal and subretinal proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) membranes. Glial cells appear to support this neurite growth in peri-retinal membranes.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) involves cellular membranes that can obscure vision.
- The cellular composition of these membranes, particularly the presence of neural elements, is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence of neural elements within human subretinal and epiretinal PVR membranes.
- To examine fibrovascular membranes from diabetic patients for neural components.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemical analysis of human peri-retinal membranes using antibodies against glial fibrillary acidic protein, vimentin, neurofilament protein, and laminin.
- Evaluation of membranes from patients undergoing vitrectomy surgery.
Main Results:
- Neurites, identified by anti-neurofilament labeling, were frequently observed in epiretinal membranes and occasionally in subretinal membranes.
- Neurite presence was consistently associated with glial processes within the membranes.
Conclusions:
- Neuronal processes are common in human peri-retinal cellular membranes, mirroring findings in animal models.
- Glial cells originating from the neural retina may provide a supportive substrate for neurite outgrowth in these membranes.
