The Endothelial Role in Thrombosis Induced Retinal Vasculitis in the Living Extracorporeal Eye

Abstract

Initial intravascular events in immune vasculitis were observed microscopically and photographed. The vasciditis was produced by infusion of antibodies formed by a goat to sonicated bovine retinal vascidature plus complete Freund's adjuvant. That gamma globulin of this immune serum contained the antibody activity was confirmed by immunodiffusion. Our experimental preparation, the living extracorporeal eye, was perfused from an indwelling intraaortic catheter in a blood donor cow through the ciliary artery of the isolated bovine eye. Conjugation of the gamma globulin from an immunized goat with fluorescein or with ferritin demonstrated the fixation of antibody to retinal endothelium. Conjugated gamma globulin from preimmunization serum of the same goat showed no intimal adherence. Shortly after injection of goat antibovine antibodies, platelet aggregates appeared, grew larger, and incorporated leukocytes and mosaics of tightly self-adhering erythrocytes. The masses increased in size and number with time, became adherent to the endothelium, and stopped perfusion of the tissues. Fibrin evolved. There was no disruption of endothelial cell membranes, but vacuolization occurred. Prefixation of the retinal vasadar endothelium with glutaraldehyde prevented these intravascular coagulation phenomena indicating the crucial role of the endothelial cell injury in immunologic vasciditis.