Objective To investigate the role of bone marrow-derived cells (BMC) plays in choroidal neovascularization (CNV).Methods Green fluorescent protein (GFP) chimeric mice were built by transplanting BMC from GFP transgenic mice to adult wild type C57BL/6J mice. Retinal laser photocoagulation was used to induce CNV in the chimeric mice (treated group) and adult wild type mice (control group). Four weeks later, choroidal flatmount was prepared to detect GFP positive BMC expression in the CNV lesions, and immunofluorescence stain was used to determine the expression of vascular endothelia growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast cell growth factor (bFGF).Results Twenty-nine days after photocoagulation lots of GFPpositive BMC presented in the CNV area, which accounted approximate 16.22% of the total CNV area. Some BMC in the CNV area expressed VEGF and bFGF. Conclusions BMC may play an important role in CNV by forming new vessles and secreting angiogenic factors.
