Retinal pigment epithelial cell plasma membrane: a monoclonal antibody study.

The plasma membranes of retinal pigment epithelial cells are highly specialized organelles with multiple functions including nutritional and metabolic support of the photoreceptor cells. Using purified bovine retinal epithelial cell plasma membranes as antigen, we produced two monoclonal antibodies, MAbD1-C6 and MAbD1-C8, that cross react with the plasma membranes from bovine, rat and human retinal pigment epithelial cells. In radioimmunoassay both MAbD1-C6 and MAbD1-C8 had similar affinities for bovine plasma membranes. Both monoclonal antibodies identified a protein of 72 Kd with an apparent subunit of 32-35 Kd. The protein was localized to the cell surface of human and bovine retinal pigment epithelium by immunocytohistochemistry. In the normal eye the antigen identified by the monoclonal antibodies was strongly associated with the retinal pigment epithelium and weakly associated with lens tissue. Using either monoclonal antibody, components of purified bovine or rat retinal pigment epithelial plasma membranes were precipitated from solution. Based on these results, we conclude that both monoclonal antibodies are closely related and that they may be useful for the isolation and study of retinal pigment epithelial cell structure.