The Amniotic Membrane: Development and Potential Applications – A Review

Abstract

Foetal membranes are essential tissues for embryonic development, playing important roles related to protection, breathing, nutrition and excretion. The amnion is the innermost extraembryonic membrane, which surrounds the foetus, forming an amniotic sac that contains the amniotic fluid (AF). In recent years, the amniotic membrane has emerged as a potential tool for clinical applications and has been primarily used in medicine in order to stimulate the healing of skin and corneal diseases. It has also been used in vaginal reconstructive surgery, repair of abdominal hernia, prevention of surgical adhesions and pericardium closure. More recently, it has been used in regenerative medicine because the amniotic-derived stem cells as well as AF-derived cells exhibit cellular plasticity, angiogenic, cytoprotective, immunosuppressive properties, antitumoural potential and the ability to generate induced pluripotent stem cells. These features make them a promising source of stem cells for cell therapy and tissue engineering. In this review, we discussed the development of the amnion, AF and amniotic cavity in different species, as well as the applicability of stem cells from the amnion and AF in cellular therapy.

Amniotic Membrane-Coated Polypropylene Mesh for the Repair of Incisional Hernia: An Experimental Study In a Rat Model of Abdominal Wall Defect

“…The amniotic membrane, with a long-term history of usage in tissue reconstruction is one of the promising materials to be used as an antiadhesive (15). In this study the researchers studied intra-abdominal adhesions and tissue inflammation and healing, four weeks after abdominal wall repair, by using AM-CPM in comparison to only polypropylene mesh.…”

“…centa, is an avascular matrix with a basement membrane and a monolayer of epithelial cells without major histocompatibility complex antigens (6). It has been known that AM, can be used for reconstruction of various tissues (15)(16)(17)(18). Amniotic Membrane induces fibrosis, epithelization, and neovascularization.…”

Equine Dental Pulp Connective Tissue Particles Reduced Lameness in Horses in a Controlled Clinical Trial

“…Bone marrow progenitor cell yields are variable due to blood contamination (25), and the procedure can be a risk or painful to the donor (25). Oocytes and other embryonic or fetal sources raise ethical concerns for human tissues and carry the concern of teratogenesis and carcinogenesis (32, 37, 38). Adipose-derived cells require an invasive procedure for harvest and are limited by non-homologous use clauses by regulatory agencies even for autologous use 8 .…”

Membrana amniótica: fonte alternativa de células-tronco mesenquimais em diversas espécies animais

“…Em cultura, as células-tronco derivadas de membrana amniótica e de líquido amniótico humano apresentam características semelhantes relacionadas com a expressão de marcadores de MSCs, tais como alta plasticidade, marcação imunofenotípica positiva para marcadores mesenquimais como CD73, C90 e CD105, potencial de pluripotência, diferenciação em diversas linhagens celulares, além de propriedade angiogê-nicas, citoprotetoras, imunomoduladoras e anti-teratogêni-cas. (Favaron et al 2015, Martinelli et al 2016. Quanto às diferenças entre a membrana amniótica e o líquido amnió-tico podemos citar a diversidade citológica identificada no líquido amniótico devido a sua estreita relação com o feto.…”

“…Quanto às diferenças entre a membrana amniótica e o líquido amnió-tico podemos citar a diversidade citológica identificada no líquido amniótico devido a sua estreita relação com o feto. No líquido amniótico podemos identificar a presença de cé-lulas epiteliais, células da mucosa respiratória e digestiva, camadas genito-urinário e outros elementos que entram em contato com este líquido (Favaron et al 2015).…”