title: The persistence of transplanted amniotic membrane in corneal stroma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the long-term incorporation of transplanted amniotic membrane into corneal stroma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rabbit amniotic membrane, stained with a fluorescent dye (DTAF), was implanted unilaterally into the corneal stroma of four adult rabbits. Corneas were examined clinically and by transmission electron microscopy and fluorescent microscopy at 1, 3, 7, and 10 months after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Visibility of the transplanted amniotic membrane, in situ, on slit-lamp examination decreased over time. However, fluorescent and electron microscopy clearly demonstrated that the amniotic membrane remained structurally unchanged and intact within the corneal stroma up to 10 months after implantation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Amniotic membrane allografts persist intact within an intracorneal space for many months postoperatively and are not quickly broken down or dissolved by the host tissue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan. connoncj@cf.ac.uk
authors.forename: Che J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Connon
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Quantock
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kinoshita
mesh_terms: D000650:Amnion / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D003094:Collagen / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000601:surgery* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005452:Fluoresceins / Q000378:metabolism; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D011817:Rabbits; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D005452:Fluoresceins; C039083:5-((4,6-dichloro-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)amino)fluorescein; D003094:Collagen