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. 2012:2012:716968.
doi: 10.1155/2012/716968. Epub 2012 Mar 5.

Transplantation of amniotic membrane to the subretinal space in pigs

Jens Folke Kiilgaard  1 , Erik Scherfig, Jan Ulrik Prause, Morten la Cour
Affiliations

Transplantation of amniotic membrane to the subretinal space in pigs

Jens Folke Kiilgaard et al. Stem Cells Int. 2012.

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the effect of transplanted amniotic membrane (AM) on subretinal wound healing.

Methods: Nine Danish Landrace pigs had surgical removal of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and mechanical damage of Bruch's membrane (BM) and served as a control group. 15 pigs additionally had AM transplanted to the subretinal space.

Results: AM significantly reduces choroidal neovascularisation when complete coverage of the induced defect is obtained (7 pigs) (P < 0.05). In cases where AM did not cover the rupture in BM choroidal tissue covered the transplanted membrane (8 pigs). AM is well tolerated in the subretinal space, causes only limited inflammation, and is covered with a monolayer of pigmented cells when in contact with the host RPE.

Conclusions: AM modifies choroidal neovascularisation after BM damage and may serve as a basement membrane substitute for the RPE.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Peroperative photo of the bleb with the retinotomy. Arrow points at the lesion in the retinal pigment epithelium trough the retinotomy. (b) Peroperative photo from the same operation as (a). The arrow points now at transplanted amniotic membrane (AM) covering the induced lesion. (c) Micrograph of the subretinal space (SRS) in a pig after transplantation of AM. The AM is in close contact with the RPE and covers the lesion completely. AM is totally covered with RPE cells similar to the normal host RPE and no CNV is observed. (d) Micrograph of the SRS in a pig after transplantation of AM. AM covers in this case only partly the induced lesion. Formation of a choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) is seen. AM is in contact with the RPE at one side and the RPE has covered the retina near side of the AM. We have not observed CNV penetrate the AM, but the CNV rather tends to “crawl under” the membrane out into the SRS. (e) Micrograph of a control eye that received mechanical damage to RPE/Bruch's membrane, but did not receive any AM. A large CNV is seen in the SRS. The peripheral part is covered with RPE, whereas the central part is in close contact with the photoreceptors. The scale bars are: (a) 100 μm, (b) 100 μm, and (c) 200 μm.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Graph of maximal height in induced choroidal neovascularisation measured in um. Experiments were divided in successful (amnion), unsuccessful (misplaced amnion), and control (no amnion). Data are presented as mean +/− SD. Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance on ranks was performed.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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