Migration and proliferation of retinal pigment epithelium on extracellular matrix ligands

Abstract

We compared aged adult and fetal retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) migration and proliferation in cell culture. Aged adult RPE resurfaced on dishes coated with human or mouse laminin, human or rat collagen I, human or mouse collagen IV, or human fibronectin. Resurfacing was best on bovine corneal endothelial cell extracellular matrix. Resurfacing was worst on mouse laminin. Fetal RPE resurfacing was robust on all surfaces studied except human and mouse laminin. In general, fetal RPE resurfacing was much greater than that seen with aged RPE on comparable surfaces. The degree of cell proliferation (labeled by Ki-67) was much greater in fetal than adult RPE cells.