[Effect of pigmented epithelium from different developmental stages of chick embryo on cell growth of retinal...

The model system to investigate the effect of retinal pigmented epithelium (PE) on the retinal development in vitro has been established in this laboratory. Chick retina separated from 5-day-old embryo (E 5) were cut into strips and explanted on the collagen substratum either in close contact with retinal PE (RPE), or without PE (R). The rates of cell proliferation of retinal strips cultured for 48 hr were measured by the uptake of radioactive thymidine and DNA contents. Both parameters in RPE were increased to values ranging from 137 to 167% when PE was taken from E5 and E6. However PE taken from E7, E8 and E9 had no effect on cell proliferation. The rate of cell proliferation of retina were increased both when separated retina and PE of E5 either from same or from an other eye closely contact again and when retina and PE of E5 were explanted together without separation. However the rates of cell proliferation were remained without much change when a millipore filter existed between retina and PE of E5 as well as the retina was inverted, the ganglion cell layer contacted with PE. The neurite outgrowth from retina explant with and without PE of E5 or E6 were also different. After culture for 24 hr the fiber length of neurite growing in RPE was only 36-39% of that in R. After 48 hr it was about 70% of that in R. This results suggested that the developmental stage of PE and the direct cell-to-cell contact of PE from E5 with photoreceptor layer of retina was important for the retinal cell proliferation. But PE had negative influence on neurite growth of retina in culture.