TY - JOUR
T1 - Electrical estimulation of retinal pigment epithelial cells
AU - Gamboa, O.L.
AU - Forrester, J.V.
AU - Lois, N.
AU - Pu, J.
AU - McCaig, C.
AU - Townend, J.
AU - Zhao, M.
N1 - MEDLINE® is the source for the MeSH terms of this document.
PY - 2010/8/1
Y1 - 2010/8/1
N2 - We investigated and characterized the effect of externally applied electric fields (EF) on retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells by exposing primary cultures of human RPE cells (hRPE) and those from the ARPE19 immortalized cell line to various strengths of EF (EF-treated cells) or to no EF (control cells) under different conditions including presence or absence of serum and gelatin and following wounding. We evaluated changes in RPE cell behavior in response to EF by using a computer based image capture and analysis system (Metamorph). We found that RPE cells responded to externally applied EFs by preferential orientation perpendicular to the EF vector, directed migration towards the anode, and faster translocation rate than control, untreated cells. These responses were voltage-dependent. Responses were observed even at low voltages, of 50-300 mV. Furthermore, the migration of hRPE cell sheets generated by wounding of confluent monolayers of cells at early and late confluence could be manipulated by the application of EF, with directed migration towards the anode observed at both sides of the wounded hRPE. In conclusion, RPE cell behaviour can be controlled by an externally applied EF. The potential for externally applied EF to be used as a therapeutic strategy in the management of selected retinal diseases warrants further investigation.
AB - We investigated and characterized the effect of externally applied electric fields (EF) on retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells by exposing primary cultures of human RPE cells (hRPE) and those from the ARPE19 immortalized cell line to various strengths of EF (EF-treated cells) or to no EF (control cells) under different conditions including presence or absence of serum and gelatin and following wounding. We evaluated changes in RPE cell behavior in response to EF by using a computer based image capture and analysis system (Metamorph). We found that RPE cells responded to externally applied EFs by preferential orientation perpendicular to the EF vector, directed migration towards the anode, and faster translocation rate than control, untreated cells. These responses were voltage-dependent. Responses were observed even at low voltages, of 50-300 mV. Furthermore, the migration of hRPE cell sheets generated by wounding of confluent monolayers of cells at early and late confluence could be manipulated by the application of EF, with directed migration towards the anode observed at both sides of the wounded hRPE. In conclusion, RPE cell behaviour can be controlled by an externally applied EF. The potential for externally applied EF to be used as a therapeutic strategy in the management of selected retinal diseases warrants further investigation.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?partnerID=yv4JPVwI&eid=2-s2.0-77954955488&md5=8083d9c7a3018fcfac598ee8fa3db626
U2 - 10.1016/j.exer.2010.04.018
DO - 10.1016/j.exer.2010.04.018
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:77954955488
SN - 0014-4835
VL - 91
SP - 195
EP - 204
JO - Experimental Eye Research
JF - Experimental Eye Research
IS - 2
ER -
