Effect of hrWnt7a on Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells In Vitro.

Human recombinant protein Wnt7a (hrWnt7a) inhibits cell proliferative activity and triggers cell polarization. Although cell polarization process was maintained only over a short time, probably via microenvironmental stimuli, hrWnt7a is involved in the transformation of the retinal pigment epithelium. Analysis of Wnt signaling pathway and its regulation will help to understand the processes in retinal pigment epithelial cells under pathological conditions, which can be useful in developing new generation drugs.

Optimization of the Method of Buccal Epithelial Cell Isolation and Culturing on Collagen Substrate for Ophthalmologic Application.

We performed morphofunctional analysis of cultured rabbit buccal epithelial cells in the primary culture, during passaging, and upon interaction with collagen substrates. Three different morphological types were identified. It was demonstrated that precursors of rabbit buccal epithelium were characterized by high proliferative activity, retain their biological properties throughout long-term culturing, and adhere to various collagen substrates.

[An experience of dried cornea transplantation].

Sometimes an urgent lamellar keratoplasty remains the only treatment option for corneal defect closure. When fresh donor tissue is absent as it is regular in recent years dried cornea transplantation becomes reasonable. In recent years in ocular trauma department 320 transplantations of dried on silicagel cornea were performed. Analysis of results allows to conclude that use of dried cornea is a promising surgical procedure to preserve the globe and in some cases to prepare the eye with severe trauma for subsequent optic surgery.

[Impact of xenotransplantation of multipotent mesenchymal stem cells of the bone marrow on the recovery of the structural organization and functional activity of the retina in its damage].

Among the potential sources of cells for transplantation, the most promising autologous material for cell therapy and tissue engineering are multipotent mesenchymal stem cells (MMSC). The authors carried out an experiment dealing with MMSC xenotransplantation into the rabbit suprachoidal space on a model of laser retinal coagulation. For objective assessment of the magnitude and pattern of changes in the functional activity of different retinal cellular elements and the efficiency of MMSC transplantation, they performed electroretinographic and histological studies. The study indicated that MMSC transplantation into the suprachoroidal space is a safe and effective procedure for cell incorporation in order to treat retinal diseases. Electroretinography provided evidence that single MMSC transplantation better preserved the function of photoreceptors (a-wave). Histomorphometric studies demonstrated that the inserted cells stimulated reparative processes in the laser-induced damaged retina.

Effect of transplantation of cultured human neural stem and progenitor cells on regeneration of the cornea after chemical burn.

We studied the effect of cultured human fetal (8-12 weeks gestation) neural stem and progenitor cells on regeneration of rabbit cornea after alkaline burn. A single subconjunctival injection of cell culture suspension after burn injury significantly accelerated regeneration of the anterior and posterior epithelium in comparison with the control group.

Regenerative processes in the cornea after erosion and effects of adhelon on these processes.

Adhelon markedly stimulated regeneration of erosive defects in the corneal epithelium. Under the effect of adhelon they healed more than 2-fold more rapidly after subtotal chemical torpid erosion than after total mechanical erosion of the cornea.

Transplantation of cultured human neural stem cells in rabbits with experimental laser-induced damage to the retina.

Cultured neural stem/progenitor cells from human fetal brain were transplanted into the retrobulbar and suprachoroid space in rabbits with laser-induced damage to the retina. Transplanted cells survived, retained multipotent activity, migrated into the zone of injury, and stimulated reparation and regeneration in the traumatized retina.

[Transplantation of neural stem cells in experimental retinopathy]. / Transplantatsiia neironal'nykh stvolovykh kletok pri eksperimental'noi retinopatii.

A stable and easily reproducible model of experimental retinopathy was constructed in rabbits. The influence of transplanted neural stem cells (NSC) on the functional activity of the retina was studied. Retinopathy was provoked by 0.04 mg of kainic acid introduced intravitreously. The cultivated NSCs were transplanted into the vitreous bodies of the right (experimental) eyes, physiological solution was administered into the left (control) eyes. Clinical examinations of the eyeball in the experimental group showed less pronounced proliferative changes and a lack of gliosis, whereas, in the control group, the retina looked like tissue with fibrous changes and glial bars. An evaluation of the functional activity of the retina denoted a reliably better function of rod bipolars and Muller glias in the eyes with transplanted NSCs during the whole follow-up.

[Experimental therapy of perforating wounds of cornea with adhelon]. / Primenenie Adgelona v lechenii pronikaiushchikh ranenii rogovitsy v eksperimente.

The efficacy of Adhelon, a new stimulator of repair regeneration belonging to the group of adhesion factors, was experimentally assessed in the treatment of ocular injuries on a model of perforating untreated wound of the cornea. Clinical and histologic studies in two groups of rabbits persuasively demonstrated the benign effect of adhelon on the course of wound process: the period of inflammatory reaction shortened, infectious complications were prevented, the wound edges closed sooner, epithelialization and reconstruction of newly formed cicatricial tissue was accelerated. Application of adhelon led to the formation of more delicate, compact, and vessel-free cicatrices and accelerated the repair regeneration of the wounded cornea.

[Experimental development of a method of enzyme therapy in eye burns]. / Eksperimental'naia razrabotka metoda énzimoterapii ozhogovoi bolezni glaz.

The proposed method of enzyme therapy of eye burns consists in instillations of a proteolytic drug for the first two days after burn and instillations of an antiproteolytic agent for the next 12 days. Experimental trials of the method in a rabbit with an alkaline burn of the cornea, including assessment of clinical manifestations of disease and investigation of the proteinase-inhibitor balance in the lacrimal fluid demonstrated a high efficacy of the new treatment.