Abstract
Purpose: :
Inflammatory cells are a component of a hapten induced animal model for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). We have studied the cell types involved in this inflammation with monocyte specific markers.
Methods: :
Mice were immunized with CEP/MSA followed by boost ten days later. To generate a strong immunological response, a second boost was given 10 day before the mice were sacrificed, 90 days after the initial immunization. Following enucleation, eyes were place in OCT embedding media. Cryosections 7microns in thickness were prepared and immunohistochemistry was performed using the following inflammatory markers: F4/80, Cd11b and CD11c.
Results: :
Cd11b and F4/80 positive cells were observed in the choroid, as well as the limbal region in most of the sections studied. Cells that labeled with these were present in regions of lesions in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and also in other areas not associated with RPE lesions.
Conclusions: :
Macrophages enter the interphotoreceptor matrix during this inflammatory response, as evidenced by decoration with these specific markers. While macrophages are clearly present between the photoreceptors and RPE in this model, many lesions of the RPE are evident in the absence of any macrophages. Because several of these macrophages contain melanin, it is likely that these cells move into this compartment following RPE lysis and are not causally involved in these lesions.
Keywords: age-related macular degeneration • microscopy: light/fluorescence/immunohistochemistry • inflammation