Enrichment of collagen plugs with platelets and amniotic fluid cells increases cell proliferation in sealed iatrogenic membrane defects in the foetal rabbit model.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate cell proliferation in platelet-enriched collagen plugs with and without addition of amniotic fluid-derived heterologous foetal cells to seal an iatrogenic membrane defect in the foetal rabbit model.


METHODS
Amniotic fluid cells were harvested from three donor does at 23 days of gestation (term = 32 days) and labelled with carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFDA-SE). In 42 other does, foetal membrane defects were induced by foetoscopic needle puncture at 23 days of gestation, and closed with either a platelet-enriched collagen plug with (n = 44) or without (n = 32) amniotic fluid cells. At 30 days of gestation, the defects were harvested and assessed microscopically.


RESULTS
The plugs enriched with heterologous amniotic fluid cells more commonly had proliferating cells in the centre of the plug than those without cell addition. CFDA-SE labelling confirmed the presence of heterologous amniotic fluid cells over the entire membrane plug. Cell typing showed a mixture of fibroblasts and epithelial cells at the wound edges, whereas in the centre, there was an abundance of fibroblasts.


CONCLUSIONS
When sealing iatrogenic membrane defects in the foetal rabbit model, enrichment of collagen plugs with platelets and amniotic fluid-derived heterologous foetal cells increases local cell proliferation.
Liekens
Daisy
D
Interdepartmental Centre for Surgical Technologies, Faculty of Medicine and Department of Woman and Child, Division Woman, Laboratory Experimental Gynaecology, K.U. Leuven, Belgium.
Lewi
Liesbeth
L
Jani
Jacques
J
Heyns
Liesbeth
L
Poliard
Eline
E
Verbist
Godelieve
G
Ochsenbein-Kölble
Nicole
N
Hoylaerts
Marc
M
Deprest
Jan
J
D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000166:cytology*; D000818:Animals; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000502:physiology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003094:Collagen; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005321:Extraembryonic Membranes / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D011247:Pregnancy; D011817:Rabbits; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*
D003094:Collagen