P 365 Title: Immunocytochemical and electron microscopic study of human preretinal membranes in the proliferative vitreoretinopathy

PURPOSE. Light microscopic and ultrastructural studies were perfomed in the human epiretinal membranes secondary to proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR).HETRODS.Humanpreretinal membranes from 5 eyes with PVR were obtained by vitrectomy. These membranes were processed for inmunohistochemical (GFAP) and electron microscopy studies to study the morphology and the cell composition. RESULTS. Light microscopic studies manifested a preretinal membrane with indiferenciated glial cells and some macrophage and retinal pigment epithelial celli. Ultrastructural studies showed mainly glialcells with intermediate filaments that stained with GPAP and retinal pigment epithelial cells. The extracellular matrix was mainly composed of collage". CONCLUSIONS. The qlla is the main cell component found in the human preretinal membranes from eyes with postsurgical PVR.