The relationship between the RPE cell function and its expression of growth factor receptors.

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Retinal pigment epitheliaum (RPE) is a monolayr of the cells existing between neural retina and choroid. RPE cells are known to play an important role in proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) . In PVR abnormal proliferation of RPE cells is observed. This abnormal proliferation may be caused by a lot of environmental changes of RPE cells. Releasing of many kind of growth factors into the vitreous cavity following to the breakdown of blood-ocular barrier may be one of the most important reasons. Following four themes are studied. 1) To study what kind of growth factors and their receptors are expressed in cultured RPE cells--All planned screening were carried out and Transforming growth factor beta, platelet derived growth factors and their receptors, acidic and basic fibroblast growth factors and their receptors, interleukin-1 and their receptors, tumor necrosis factor, insulin like growth factors, etc. were found to be expressed in cultured RPE cells. 2) To investigate if it is possible to transfect the growth factor gene into cultured RPE cells or not. --Transient expression of transfected gene in primary cultured RPE was successful, but permanent expression was difficult. It is now in progress using immortalized RPE cell line cells. 3) To evaluate how the function of RPE cells change when various growth factor receptor gene expression is increased or decreased. --We are waiting for the results of project 2) 4) Looking for a novel growth factor receptor specific for RPE cells. --PCR was carried out using primers of conserved sequences between several FGF receptors to obtain RPE specific clones of FGF receptors. We've got a couple of clones. The DNA sequence and the function of them are now being analyzed.