Isolation and characterization of retinal and choroidal biomatrix.

Retinal and choroidal biomatrices (extracellular materials) and lens capsule were isolated from bovine eyes. Water-insoluble biomatrices were collected by filtration after repeated ultrasonic disruption of the cells and treatment with EDTA. Light and electron microscopic examination showed that the isolated lens capsule, retinal and choroidal biomatrices were free of cellular components. These biomatrices were then solubilized after pulverization in liquid nitrogen and applied to SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Electrophoretic patterns of the biomatrices were quit different from one another, while immunoblotting demonstrated the presence of laminin as a common constituent.