Expression pattern of fibronectin and osteopontin in healthy and uveitic retinal tissue.

<p>Retinal expression of fibronectin (magenta), osteopontin (red) and vimentin (green) in a representative healthy (left panels) and ERU diseased retina (right panels). Differential interference contrast (DIC) image of a representative control retina (A) and uveitic retina section (B), display tissue destruction and a loss of photoreceptor outer segments in the ERU case. Fibronectin is expressed along the ILM in healthy retina as a continuous band (C) but shows a spotted pattern along the disintegrated ILM and in the outer uveitic retina (D). Osteopontin expression in healthy retina shows a Müller cell like pattern and a positive staining of photoreceptor outer segments (E). This expression almost disappears in ERU diseased retina (F). Müller cells of control section show a distinct immunoreactivity for vimentin throughout the retina (G) while uveitic retina displays characteristic gliotic Müller cell morphology (H). Overlay image of control retinas reveals a close neighbouring of fibronectin and vimentin at the ILM and an overlap of osteopontin and vimentin especially in Müller cell endfeet (I). The disintegrated fibronectin expression is no longer adjacent to Müller cell endfeet membranes and no co-localization of osteopontin and vimentin is detectable in uveitic retina (J). Nuclei are stained with 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI; blue). ILM, inner limiting membrane; GCL, ganglion cell layer; IPL, inner plexiform layer; INL, inner nuclear layer; OPL, outer plexiform layer; ONL, outer nuclear layer; OLM, outer limiting membrane.