Subretinal strands. Tissue culture and histological study.

Subretinal strands in proliferative vitreoretinopathy removed during vitreous surgery in ten cases were studied histologically; tissue culture was taken from five of the ten cases to obtain more material for investigation. Tissue culture was successful in all five cases. The cultured tissue just next to the original strand preserved the characteristics of the original tissue, whereas the portion distal from the original strand did not. Definite and/or suspected retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) were found in seven of ten original strands and four of five samples of cultured material. RPE were considered to be a predominant component of subretinal strands.