Cellular components of subretinal membranes in proliferative vitreoretinopathy.

To determine the cellular composition of subretinal membranes in proliferative vitreoretinopathy, surgically excised membranes were studied using electron microscopic and immunohistochemical procedures. Light microscopic immunohistochemistry was found to be superior to conventional electron microscopy as a means of evaluating the relative contributions of retinal pigment epithelium and glia to subretinal membranes. The cells of subretinal membranes chiefly comprised retinal pigment epithelium while glial cells were either absent or contributed only a minor component. It is proposed that the clinical properties of subretinal membranes in proliferative vitreoretinopathy derive from their retinal pigment epithelial cell element.