Sections of eyes with clinically diagnosed AMD immunostained for ubiquitin.

The extent of Bruch’s membrane immunopositivity of the retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE, shown by arrows) and in the drusen (asterisks) was evaluated microscopically (no staining or positive staining) by selecting 5 mm long areas of foveomacular (A), perimacular (B) and peripheral (C) regions. The uniform staining of ubiquitin in RPE cells Bruch’s membrane was observed in all these regions (arrows). There were no differences in the extent of staining between these regions in each group. The nuclei of RPE cells were mostly ubiquitin negative. Most of the drusen were strongly ubiquitin-positive (asterisks). (Original magnifications of x 200 and in insets x 400; Bruch's membrane shown by arrow heads).