Immunocytochemical identification of Müller's glia as a component of human epiretinal membranes

Sections of seven human epiretinal membranes of diverse pathologic origin were labeled with antibodies to cellular retinaldehyde binding protein (CRALBP) and two intermediate filament proteins: glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and vimentin. All of the membranes studied contained heterogeneous cell populations that exhibited diverse morphologic characteristics. Double labeling with both anti-GFAP and anti-CRALBP positively identified one of the cellular components in these membranes as Müller's glia. In addition, other epiretinal cells exhibited immunolabeling patterns consistent with those found in fibrous astrocytes and retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells normally. The results demonstrate that a double-labeling method using CRALBP antibodies, in combination with antibodies to other appropriate antigens, can be used to distinguish between the different epiretinal cell types.