title: Modulating endogenous electric currents in human corneal wounds--a novel approach of bioelectric stimulation without electrodes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure electric current in human corneal wounds and test the feasibility of pharmacologically enhancing the current to promote corneal wound healing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a noninvasive vibrating probe, corneal electric current was measured before and after wounding of the epithelium of donated postmortem human corneas. The effects of drug aminophylline and chloride-free solution on wound current were also tested.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Unwounded cornea had small outward currents (0.07 μA/cm²). Wounding increased the current more than 5 fold (0.41 μA/cm²). Monitoring the wound current over time showed that it seemed to be actively regulated and maintained above normal unwounded levels for at least 6 hours. The time course was similar to that previously measured in rat cornea. Drug treatment or chloride-free solution more than doubled the size of wound currents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Electric current at human corneal wounds can be significantly increased with aminophylline or chloride-free solution. Because corneal wound current directly correlates with wound healing rate, our results suggest a role for chloride-free and/or aminophylline eyedrops to enhance healing of damaged cornea in patients with reduced wound healing such as the elderly or diabetic patient. This novel approach offers bioelectric stimulation without electrodes and can be readily tested in patients.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology and Ophthalmology Research, Institute for Regenerative Cures, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: Enrique O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Graue-Hernandez
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Mannis
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000628:Aminophylline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002712:Chlorides / Q000494:pharmacology; D003315:Cornea / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D065306:Corneal Injuries; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D017736:Ion-Selective Electrodes; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D000628:Aminophylline