Amniotic membrane graft: Histopathological findings in five cases

Gian Marco Tosi, Claudio Traversi, Karin Schuerfeld, Vincenzo Mittica, Mina Massaro-Giordano, Maurits A.D. Tilanus, Aldo Caporossi, Paolo Toti

Risultato della ricerca: Contributo in rivistaArticolo

27 Citazioni (Scopus)

Abstract

Amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) is an effective treatment for ocular surface reconstruction; however, the mechanisms through which amniotic membrane (AM) exerts its effects as well as its fate after transplantation have not been entirely elucidated and have been investigated only in part. We evaluate the integration of AM in the host cornea in five patients who underwent AMT as the result of Bowen's disease, band keratopathy, radio- or cryotherapy-induced keratopathy, chemical burn or post-herpetic deep corneal ulcer with descemetocele. Due to persistent opacification in four cases and a progressing tumor in one case, penetrating keratoplasty (PK) and enucleation were performed as early as 2 months and up to 20 months after AMT. The corneas were analyzed histopathologically. To evaluate AM remnants, corneas were stained with periodic acid Schiff's reaction (PAS), Alcian blue, and Gomory and Masson trichrome; immunostaining including collagens III and IV antibodies was also performed. None of the corneas showed remnants of AM. In all cases, we observed discontinuity of Bowman's membrane. In three cases, the corneal epithelium was completely restored, ranging from three to six cell layers. In the other two cases, we detected an intense inflammatory reaction with rich neovascularization; the epithelial surface of the central cornea was completely restored, while at the periphery of the cornea goblet mucus-producing cells were present. Although clinically useful in all cases, restoration of a stable corneal epithelium through AMT is limited by the extent and severity of limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD). The lack of histologically documented AM remnants in our cases seems to explain the efficacy of AMT more through its biological properties than through its mechanical properties. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Lingua originaleInglese
pagine (da-a)852-857
Numero di pagine6
RivistaJournal of Cellular Physiology
Volume202
DOI
Stato di pubblicazionePubblicato - 2005

Keywords

  • Aged
  • Amnion
  • Cell Biology
  • Clinical Biochemistry
  • Cornea
  • Corneal Diseases
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Physiology
  • Transplantation, Homologous

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