LONG-TERM (OF MANY DAYS) NORMOTHERMAL LIMBAL GRAFTS PRESERVATION AS A METHOD OF QUANTITY AND ACTIVITY INCREASE OF MMSC-LIKE LIMBAL CELLS

Abstract

The reliability increase of corneal transplants engraftment may be achieved by combined transplantation with preserved limbal grafts (LG). We studied two methods of LG preservation: normothermal preservation in Borzenok–Moroz medium or standard culture medium for 35 days and cryopreservation at –80 °C in Borzenok– Moroz medium with/without DMSO addition for 1 month. We found that long-term normothermal preservation (for 28 days) and cryopreservation maintain LG cells viability and their capacity to maintain cytokine balance as well as to keep cytokine balance and to retain phenotype of MMSC (multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells) and to activate tolerogenic properties of limbal cells the latter improving quality and increasing capacity of corneal transplant engraftment reliability without systemic immunosupression.

Keywords

• limbal graft
• mmsc-like cells
• normothermal and low temperature preservation