Sereda K. V., Vit V. V., Drozhzhyna G. I., Gaidamaka T. B.

GI “The Filatov Institute of Eye Diseases and Tissue Therapy of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine”, Odesa, Ukraine

Abstract

 Introduction. The study is important due to insufficient investigation of reparative mechanisms of cryopreserved human amniotic membrane. 

Purpose. The purpose was to study vimentin expression in the rabbit cornea to determine the role of limbus area stem cells in corneal regeneration during cryopreserved amniotic membrane transplantation on bacterial keratitis model. 

Material and methods. Cryopreserved amniotic membrane transplantation was performed in 30 Chinchilla rabbits on the developed model of bacterial keratitis. Two surgical techniques were used: inlay technique with membrane fixation to cornea and onlay technique with its fixation to episclera by interrupted sutures. The follow up period was 1 month.

 Results of the study. In the group with onlay technique vimentin expression was determined in the early stages of regeneration processes in the regenerating epithelial cells and stromal cells. By epithelialization and subsequent differentiation of the anterior epithelium the number of positive staining cells decreased. The group with inlay technique showed similar dynamics of vimentin expression, but it was noted the delay process, especially when the reaction patterns of the cornea on the suture occurred.

 Conclusions. The amniotic membrane may play an important role in the treatment of bacterial keratitis due to the activation of stem cells of limbal zone and accelerate the processes of corneal epithelialization.

 Keywords: cornea, bacterial keratitis, vimentin, amniotic membrane, experiment. 

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Received: 22 Sep. 2015

Published: April 2016