The influence of basic fibroblast growth factor on cat corneal endothelial wound healing<i>in vivo</i>

Abstract

Using standardized freeze wounds in cat corneas, we tested the efficacy of basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (bFGF) solubilized in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) to promote endothelial healing when injected intraocularly at doses ranging from 0.01 microgram to 10 micrograms. After 6 days, animals were humanely sacrificed and corneal tissues were fixed and stained for light microscopy and computation of remaining wound areas. A significant dose-response relationship was found between the dosages of 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0 microgram of bFGF/eye and the stimulation of more completely healed endothelium six days after transcorneal freeze wounding. Significantly larger endothelial wounds were present six days after wounding when the eyes were treated with 10 micrograms of bFGF/eye compared with controls treated with PBS only.