Disease relevance of Epiretinal Membrane

• To evaluate expression of HGFR in human donor eyes and in several epiretinal membranes associated with proliferative vitreoretinopathy and idiopathic epiretinal membranes [1].
• Polymerase chain reaction for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in epiretinal membrane in Eales' disease [2].
• METHODS: Twenty-one epiretinal membranes obtained surgically from eyes with PVR complicating rhegmatogenous retinal detachment were studied immunohistochemically using the ABC technique and a panel of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies [3].
• Hypothesis concerning carbonic anhydrase treatment of cystoid macular edema: example with epiretinal membrane [4].
• RESULTS: Complications of the infantile vitreous hemorrhage included traction retinal detachment (two of six), epiretinal membrane formation (one of six), pigmentary retinopathy (four of six), strabismus (two of six), large anisometropic myopia (two of six), and occlusion amblyopia (three of six) [5].

High impact information on Epiretinal Membrane

• PDGF and PDGF receptors are also expressed in RPE in epiretinal membranes removed during vitreous surgery [6].
• Four of five examined PVR epiretinal membranes showed positive staining for apoptotic cells using the TUNEL technique [7].
• Expression of VEGF and endostatin in epiretinal membranes was assessed immunohistochemically [8].
• The chemoattractants used were fibronectin and PDGF, both of which are associated with epiretinal membrane development [9].
• RESULTS: HRPE cells in epiretinal membranes and in culture expressed c-Met [10].

Chemical compound and disease context of Epiretinal Membrane

• In contrast, epiretinal membranes from only 2 of 13 patients never exposed to daunomycin showed faint P-glycoprotein expression [11].
• PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of trypan blue for staining the internal limiting membrane (ILM) and epiretinal membranes (ERM) in vitreoretinal surgery [12].
• Fundus photographic and fluorescein angiographic characteristics of pseudoholes of the macula in eyes with epiretinal membranes [13].
• Temporal development of chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycan-induced epiretinal membranes was categorized into three distinct stages: a preretinal cell stage 1 to 3 weeks following injection, a glial "tuft" stage at 3 to 6 weeks, and a "mature" complex membrane stage at 6 weeks or later [14].
• Although fibronectin at the vitreoretinal juncture in retinal detachment is probably partly derived from plasma fibronectin resulting from breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier, ectopic retinal cells produce fibronectin and contribute to the glycoprotein epiretinal membranes [15].

Biological context of Epiretinal Membrane

• The authors demonstrate that by using vitrectomy, posterior hyaloid removal, fluid-gas exchange, and transforming growth factor-beta 2 (TGF-beta 2), a growth factor that modulates the wound healing process, epiretinal membrane peeling can be avoided and the surgical procedure thereby simplified without compromising results [16].
• AIMS: To report on the use of trypan blue (TB) 0.06% for staining the internal limiting membrane (ILM) and epiretinal membrane (ERM) during vitrectomy and report on their histology [17].
• Expression of glutamine synthetase and cell proliferation in human idiopathic epiretinal membrane [18].
• Higher VEGF concentration were found in samples from the eyes of diabetic patients versus other pathologies as well as in epiretinal membranes versus the other eye compartments in diabetic patients [19].

Anatomical context of Epiretinal Membrane

• These findings demonstrate that keratin and GFAP are not mutually exclusive intermediate filament proteins in cells of epiretinal membranes and that, although each may provide a helpful adjunct for cell type identification, neither is an absolutely specific marker [20].
• It is concluded that glial cells in epiretinal membranes express both HGF protein and c-Met receptors [21].
• Retinal glia, retinal pigment epithelium and fibroblast-like cells in membranes at the vitreoretinal juncture (epiretinal membranes) showed variable labelling with the fibronectin mRNA probe and all the membranes immunostained for fibronectin [15].
• RESULTS: Immunoreactive FGF-5 is present in most cells, including endothelial cells of vascular and avascular epiretinal membranes, but seems to be absent from the extracellular matrix [22].
• Trypan blue has a high affinity to cellular structures such as epiretinal membrane [23].

Gene context of Epiretinal Membrane

• METHODS: Sections of epiretinal membranes were stained immunohistochemically for cytokeratins, to identify HRPE cells, and for HGF/SF receptor (c-Met) [10].
• In epiretinal membranes of patients with PVR, HB-EGF immunoreactivity partially colocalized with GFAP [24].
• The aim of this study was to evaluate the concentration of VEGF in vitreous, aqueous and epiretinal membranes of diabetic and non-diabetic patients, with other pathological conditions requiring surgical intervention [19].
• Using the indirect immunoperoxidase method, we investigated frozen sections of 15 epiretinal membranes in PVR for the presence of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which is commonly utilized by epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) [25].
• In conclusion, bFGF is produced and stored in epiretinal membranes [26].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of Epiretinal Membrane

• METHODS: Expression of P-glycoprotein was examined by immunohistochemistry in surgically removed epiretinal membranes [11].
• INTERVENTION: Pars plana vitrectomy and epiretinal membrane stripping [27].
• Injection of 1% methylcellulose or 1% sodium hyaluronate (Healonid) was used to separate attached vitreous cortex and fibrovascular epiretinal membranes from the retina in 40 eyes undergoing closed microsurgery for severe diabetic eye disease [28].
• Autoradiography of the epiretinal membranes in eyes injected with 200,000 cultured retinal pigment epithelial cells and labeled for two hours with tritiated thymidine showed that 0.8% of the epiretinal cell nuclei were labeled two weeks after cell injection but that no labeled cells were present in the fluorouracil-treated eyes [29].
• The effect of prinomastat (AG3340), a potent inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase, on a new animal model of epiretinal membrane [30].

References