title: Neovascular growth in an experimental alkali corneal burn model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse the length and area of corneal surface occupied by vessels, and their location in an experimental model of alkali burn-induced corneal neovascularization.
  
  
  METHODS
  An injury to the central cornea of the right eye in 91 Sprague-Dawley rats was induced using a silver nitrate pencil. The rats were divided in 7 groups that were sacrificed 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 days post-injury, and then perfused with a mixture of Chinese ink in PBS -phosphate buffer saline-. Corneas were flat-mounted processed and divided in 4 quadrants. Corneal neovascular growth parameters (length and area) and the location of these vessels were performed blind. The results were statistically analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neovascular growth was observed from day 2, reaching its maximum peak in length and area on the 12th day post-injury. A slight reduction in corneal neovascularization was observed after this day. The vessels were initially located in the middle third of the stroma and tended to be observed in the anterior third during the course of the experiment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neovascularisation was observed on day 2 post-injury in all sectors of corneal surface. Neovascular growth was uniform during the experiment. Neovessels were located in the middle and anterior third of the cornea.
authors: Área de Oftalmo-Biología, Centro de Investigaciones Médico-Sanitarias, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, España.
authors: L C
authors: LC
authors: Figueroa-Ortiz
authors: Área de Oftalmo-Biología, Centro de Investigaciones Médico-Sanitarias, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, España.
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Martín Rodríguez
authors: Servicio de Oftalmología, Hospital General de Galicia, Santiago de Compostela, España.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: García-Ben
authors: Área de Oftalmo-Biología, Centro de Investigaciones Médico-Sanitarias, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, España; Servicio de Oftalmología, Hospital Virgen de la Victoria, Málaga, España. Electronic address: jmgarcia@uma.es.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: García-Campos
mesh_terms: D000468:Alkalies / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000818:Animals; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D065306:Corneal Injuries / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005126:Eye Burns / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D000468:Alkalies
keywords: Alkali-burn; Corneal neovascularisation; Corneal surface; Evolución neovascular; Modelo experimental de neovascularización; Neovascular evolution; Neovascular experimental model; Neovascularización corneal; Quemadura por álcali; Superficie corneal