An in-vitro study of irradiated vitreo-retinal membranes

Standard perforating injuries were created in the right eye of 30 rabbits. Twenty of these had the site of injury irradiated using the radioactive ophthalmic 60Cobalt applicator. Vitreo-retinal membranes obtained from non-irradiated and irradiated eyes were propagated in vitro. The morphology and viability of the cells that grew as a monolayer was studied using phase, light and electron microscopy. The proportions of the different cell types that constituted the monolayer was determined using immunofluorescent staining techniques. Non-irradiated membranes elaborated an abundant outgrowth of healthy cells that were predominantly fibroblasts. Irradiated membranes developed a sparse outgrowth of cells with vacuolated cytoplasm and pyknotic nuclei indicating cell destruction. The majority of the surviving cells were glial, with fibroblasts and retinal pigment epithelial cells forming the remainder.