FIGURE 2.

In vivo rat model for LSCD and epithelial regeneration. A, Representative images of the corneal surface after 30 days of the transplantation. (a) normal non‐damaged cornea without pharmacological mydriasis; (b) control for corneal injury; (c) AM ocular surface implants; (d) AM ocular surface implant with AT‐MSC cultured in standard medium; (e) AM ocular surface implant with AT‐MSC cells cultured with CnT30 medium; (f) AM ocular surface implant with AT‐MSC cells cultured on SHEM medium. AM ocular surface implants with AT‐MSC cells (d–f) showed superficial neovascularization and improved transparency of the cornea, with the best results for SHEM treatment (f). B, Haematoxylin‐eosin histology of the corneas. (a) Normal control cornea; (b) Injured cornea without treatment; (c) AM ocular surface implant; (d) AM ocular surface implant with AT‐MSC cultured in standard medium; (e) AM ocular surface implant with AT‐MSC cells cultured with CnT30 medium; (f) AM ocular surface implant with AT‐MSC cells cultured with SHEM medium. Cell inflammatory infiltrates were observed in the anterior stroma of the cornea (b–f) and associated with fine newly formed capillaries (b–e). Satisfactory structural epithelial regeneration was observed only with treatments carried out with AM ocular surface implants with AT‐MSC induced on SHEM medium (f). Asterisks mark goblet cells (d and f). Bar = 25 μm for a, b, d and e; bar = 50 μm for c and f. Abbreviation: AM, intact amniotic membrane