Abstract
Purpose: :
To evaluate the behaviour of bone marrow stem cells in eyes of rabbits with chorioretinal injuries caused by red laser diode 670nm.
Methods: :
Thirty New Zealand white rabbits, weighing approximately 2.0 to 2.5 Kg, were enrolled in the. Experiments were carried out in accordance with the guidelines set forth by the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) for the use of animals in ophthalmic and vision research. The intravitreal injection of autologous bone marrow-derived stem cells were implanted 24 hours after chorioretinal lesion induced for 670 nm diode laser (P=600 mW, Ø=100 m, 1s)with of 50 impacts in the temporal retina area. 90 days after the procedure, the regenerative behaviour produced by stem cells was studied at level of the chorioretinal tissue through optical and electronic transmission microscopy. The retinal healing obtained by means of stem cells implants, was compared with one control group of 20 rabbits to which the same amount of impacts was made in the retina with the same laser and the same power, without implanting stem cells.
Results: :
The results of the obtained histological cuts of the enucleated eyes of the rabbits showed changes at level of the chorioretinal tissues, to the 90 days since the laser impacts (phase of healing). We observed in 23 rabbits a recovery of 90% of the chorioretinal scars caused by the laser, n=45 recovered impacts; in 2 rabbits there was a recovery of 50% of the chorioretinal scars, n=25 recovered impacts; in 3 rabbits the recovery of the chorioretinal scars was of 42%, n=21 recovered impacts and in 2 rabbits we observed a recovery of 36% of the chorioretinal scars, n=18. In the control group of 20 rabbits in which was not put the implant of stem cells the healing provoked presented a great area of glyosis at level of the chorioretinal tissue with an important halo of hyperplasia of the pigmented epithelium of the retina, surrounding the glyosis.
Conclusions: :
This study was demonstrated that there was an important recovery in the morphology of the chorioretinal cells in suffering process by the injury caused by the laser effect in rabbits submitted to intravitreal injection of autologous bone marrow-derived stem cells.
Keywords: laser • chorioretinitis • regeneration