The use of collagen scaffold and amniotic membrane with laboratory-reared stem cells to manage limbal deficiency: experimental study
Objective: comparative analysis of the use of collagen scaffold (CS) and amniotic membrane (AM) with laboratory-reared limbal stem cells (LSC) to manage limbal deficiency. Methods: The study was performed on 40 adult rabbits (80 eyes), Chinchilla breed. All animals were divided into four groups of 10 animals each to run two set of experiments with CS and AM as LSC carriers. After creation of a model of limbal deficiency and superficial keratectomy we used CS and AM with laboratory-reared LSC in experimental groups experimental groups, and CS and AM without cells in control groups. Results: On the 90<sup>th</sup> days after transplantation we observed a significant increase of corneal transparency in experimental groups. Epithelial surface was smooth, glossy, not stained with fluorescein. In control groups we registered pronounced corneal stroma opacity, its vascularization, persistent abrasions. According to the results impression cytology and histological study we detected normal multilayer non-squamous epithelium with basal membrane not containing goblet cells in experimental groups. In control groups epithelium contained goblet ells, had different number of ranges, abrasions were detected. Conclusions: Transplantation of carriers with laboratory-reared LSC on the surface of cornea enables to create its repository sufficient to recover epithelium of corneal phenotype.