COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF ASTROCYTES IN HUMAN AND RABBIT RETINAE

Immunohistochemical location of Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) was used to compare the morphology of astrocytes in vascularized and partially vascularized retinae (human and rabbit, respectively). Astro cytes in human and rabbit retinae were found in the same regions as th e blood vessels. These cells in partially vascularized retinae differe d from those in vascularized retina in several respects. Firstly, ther e were six morphological types in rabbit retina and only two in human retina. Secondly, in rabbit retinae there were astrocytes only related to blood vessels called ''perivascular astrocytes'' which were absent in human retinae. Thirdly, the astrocytes were located in the nerve f iber layer and ganglion cell layer in both types of retinae, but in hu man retinae these cells could also be seen in the internal nuclear lay er. These observations demonstrate that there are many differences bet ween astrocytes in human and rabbit retina, suggesting that rabbit ret ina could be used with caution as an experimental model in comparative studies with human retina. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.