Objective To investigate the expression of connective tissue growth factor(CTGF)in human proliferative membranes of proliferative vitreoretinopathy(PVR),and the relationship among CTGF,transforming growth factor-beta; receptor(TGF-beta;R)and extracellular matrix(ECM). Methods Immunohistochemistry method of streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase complex(SABC)was used to detect the expression of CTGF,TGF-beta;RⅡ,fibronectin(FN),collagen Ⅰ,and collagen Ⅲ protein in43periretinal membranes(PRM)of PVR obtained by vitrectomy,and the correlations of the expression of CTGF,TGF-beta;RⅡ and ECM were analyzed by statistics. Results CTGF and TGF-beta;RⅡ protein highly expressed in PRM of PVR and most of the CTGF-positive cells were epithelial cells.The result of immunohistochemistry showed that the positive rates of CTGF and TGF-beta;RⅡ protein were 70.6% and 76.5%in PVR C membranes,and 73.9% and 69.6%in PVR D membranes respectively.Relationship between positive expression and membranesprime; grades appeared no statistical correlation(P>0.05).Statistical analysis showed that there was a correlation between the expression of CTGF and TGF-beta;RⅡ,FN,and collagen Ⅰ and Ⅲ protein,respectively. Conclusions The expression of CTGF and TGFbeta;RⅡ protein is up-regulated in PRM of PVR,which suggests that the activation of TGF-beta;RⅡ is involved in the production of CTGF,and CTGF is closely related to the production of ECM and play an important role in the pathogenesis of PVR. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2006, 22: 192-195)