| Summary: | Abstract: The purpose of this work is to describe the use of Fibrin-Plasma Rich in Growth Factors
(PRGF) membranes for the treatment of a rabbit alkali-burn lesion. For this purpose, an alkali-burn
lesion was induced in 15 rabbits. A week later, clinical events were evaluated and rabbits were
divided into five treatment groups: rabbits treated with medical treatment, with a fibrin-PRGF
membrane cultured with autologous or heterologous rabbit Limbal Epithelial Progenitor Cells
(LEPCs), with a fibrin-PRGF membrane in a Simple Limbal Epithelial Transplantation and with a
fibrin-PRGF membrane without cultured LEPCs. After 40 days of follow-up, corneas were subjected
to histochemical examination and immunostaining against corneal or conjunctival markers. Seven
days after alkali-burn lesion, it was observed that rabbits showed opaque cornea, new blood vessels
across the limbus penetrating the cornea and epithelial defects. At the end of the follow-up period,
an improvement of the clinical parameters analyzed was observed in transplanted rabbits. However,
only rabbits transplanted with cultured LEPCs were positive for corneal markers. Otherwise, rabbits
in the other three groups showed positive staining against conjunctival markers. In conclusion,
fibrin-PRGF membrane improved the chemically induced lesions. Nonetheless, only fibrin-PRGF
membranes cultured with rabbit LEPCs were able to restore the corneal surface.
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