Figure 10.

Real-time quantitative PCR analysis of the alternative pathway regulators (A) complement factor H (CFH) and (B) complement factor I (CFI): normalized Ct values in young control ARPE cells (dashed bars), post-confluent cultured ARPE cells (white bars), and post-confluent co-cultured ARPE cells (black bars). After 3 days, there was a significant increase in CFH mRNA expression in the post-confluent ARPE cells as compared to the young cultured ARPE cells. After 5 days, the co-cultured ARPE cells showed an increase in CFH mRNA expression when compared to the control cells. CFI was significantly increased in post-confluent ARPE cells cultured for an additional 3 or 5 days when compared to the young control ARPE. The amount of CFI mRNA in co-cultured ARPE cells was significantly increased after 5 days in culture when compared to the control values. Data are expressed as means ± SEM; *P < 0.05; n = 4).