MACROPHAGE-LIKE PROPERTIES OF HUMAN HYALOCYTES

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 19  (4) , 333-340
Abstract
The cortical layer of the vitreous body of the eye contains a homogeneous population of hyalocytes. These cells were prepared from human autopsy eyes under sterile conditions by incubating the vitreous gel in tissue culture containing 300 .mu.g/ml hyaluronidase. With the use of trypan blue staining, 60-90% of the cells were viable; they stained strongly for an intracellular nonspecific esterase with .alpha.-napthylacetate as a substrate. This staining was not inhibited by NaF. The hyalocytes showed adherence to glass and plastic surfaces and phagocytosed latex spheres of 1.1 .mu.m diameter. On their surface, receptors for IgG[immunoglobulin] and complement components could be demonstrated with a rosette-forming technique using sensitized sheep erythrocytes. All these features strongly imply hyalocytes are mature cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system.