Characterization of human and rabbit pigmented and nonpigmented ciliary body epithelium

Nonpigmented epithelial (NPE) and pigmented epithelial (PE) cells were carefully dissected from both human and rabbit ciliary processes and have been maintained in vitro and partially characterized by morphology and immunocytochemical techniques using polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies against S-100 proteins, collagen type I and type III. The tissue distribution of these proteins was studied in formalin fixed deparaffinized tissue sections of human and rabbit eyes by immunoperoxidase staining techniques. Both NPE and PE cell lines from human and rabbit showed hexagonal morphology by light microscopy; distinct granules containing pigment could be visualized in the PE cell lines, but not in the NPE cells. Antibodies against S-100 proteins stained NPE layer intensely and PE layer slightly in the human tissue sections. The staining was less intense in rabbit tissues than human tissues. The ciliary body stroma was positive for collagen type III and negative for collagen type I or S-100.