Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose: To identify process outgrowth from fetal retinal sheets transplanted to degenerated rat host retinas. The donor tissue was derived from a transgenic rat strain in which all cells express human placental alkaline phosphatase (hPAP) in their cytoplasm. Methods: Founder heterozygous transgenic rats expressing human alkaline phosphatase were obtained from Dr. Eric Sandgren, Univ. of Wisconsin (Kisseberth et al. 1999), and bred on a pigmented background with ACI rats. The genotype of embryos was determined by histochemistry before transplantation. E19-P1 retina was transplanted to RCS, and transgenic S334ter line 5 and 3 rats. Results: The presence of the transgenic donor tissue was determined by histochemistry or by immunohistochemistry for hPAP (Sigma) on tissue sections. The cytoplasm of donor cells was clearly stained for hPAP. In many experiments, hPAP-immunoreactive processes could be observed in the inner nuclear layer and inner plexiform layer of the host. No hPAP immunoreactivity could be found in the host retina outside the transplants. Conclusion: hPAP donor tissue reveals outgrowth of processes from retinal transplants into degenerated host retina. Supported by: The Foundation Fighting Blindness; the Murray Foundation Inc., New York; the Vitreoretinal Foundation, Louisville; the Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation; The Research to Prevent Blindness; and private funds.
Keywords: 607 transplantation • 561 retinal degenerations: cell biology • 606 transgenics/knock-outs