title: Reconstruction of corneal stroma with decellularized porcine xenografts in a rabbit model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the potential use of decellularized porcine stromal matrix (PSM) for reconstruction of corneal stroma in a rabbit model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten chinchilla bastard rabbit corneas were exposed to a circular half-thickness keratotomy with a 3.0 mm diameter at the central cornea. Porcine corneas were decellularized using hypotonic tris buffer, ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA, 0.1%), aprotinin (10 K IU/ml) and 0.3% sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS). The 3.0 mm in diameter decellularized corneal stromal xenograft was inserted into the pocket, and the incision was closed with four 10.0 nylon sutures. Clinical photographs were taken at day 1, day 7, day 30 and on a monthly basis for up to 6 months after transplantation. Six months after surgery, the rabbits were killed and eyes were enucleated. Haematoxylin-eosin (HE) and 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining were performed to confirm the complete removal of the corneal cells after decellularization of porcine corneas and repopulation with rabbit cells. Alcian blue staining was performed for analysing the structure of the extracellular matrix (ECM).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Efficient elimination of porcine cells was achieved by our decellularization protocol and confirmed via HE and DAPI stainings. Moreover, the major histoarchitectural ECM structure had been maintained as visualized by the alcian blue stain. Finally, the PSM was biocompatible with the host's epithelium evidenced as a regrowth covering the exposed xenograft.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This novel technique of tissue engineering may provide one of many solutions to addressing anterior corneal pathological conditions in the face of a shortage of human corneal material.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Eberhard-Karls University, Tuebingen, Germany. efdal.yoeruek@med.unituebingen.de
authors.forename: Efdal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yoeruek
authors.forename: Tarek
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bayyoud
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maurus
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.forename: Martin Stephan
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Spitzer
authors.forename: Karl-Ulrich
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Bartz-Schmidt
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Szurman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003315:Cornea / Q000502:physiology; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery* / Q000637:transplantation*; D016039:Corneal Transplantation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D048091:Guided Tissue Regeneration; D011817:Rabbits; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013552:Swine; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials