Culture of human trabecular meshwork cells and the cell characteristics of immunohistochemical studies

OBJECTIVE: To look for better cultural methods in order to obtain numerous human trabecular cells in vitro for glaucoma experimental studies, and describe the immunohistochemical characteristics of the cells. METHOD: Human trabecular meshwork cells were cultured, then 4 monoclonal antibodies were used for immunohistochemical stains of the cultured cells. RESULTS: At the primary period, the growth of human trabecular cells was obviously slower than that of cows and pigs. The immunohistochemical stains showed that the cells presented positive reactions to neuronal specific enolase (NSE) and vimentin and negative reactions to factor VIII related antigen (VIIIR:Ag) and desmin. CONCLUSIONS: The culture of human trabecular meshwork cells in vitro needs more careful and better cultural conditions. The cells originally are derived from embryonic neural crest, not from mesodermal endothelium of blood vessels. There is middle filament vimentin and no desmin in the cells.