Macrophage-like properaties of human hyalocytes.

The cortical layer of the vitreous body of the eye contains a homogeneous population of hyalocytes. These cells were prepared from human autopsy eyes under sterile conditions by incubating the vitreous gel in tissue culture medium containing 300 micrograms/ml hyaluronidase. With the use of trypan blue staining, 60% to 90% of the cells were viable; they stained strongly for an intracellular nonspecific esterase with alpha-napthylacetate as a substrate. This staining could not be inhibited by sodium fluoride. The hyalocytes showed adherence to glass and plastic surfaces and phagocytosed latex spheres of 1.1 micrometer diameter. On their surface, receptors for IgG and complement components could be demonstrated with a rosette-forming technique using sensitized sheep erythrocytes. All these features strongly support the assumption that hyalocytes are mature cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system.