A tissue culture assay of corneal epithelial wound closure.

Experimental assays have been developed using cultured tissue derived from rabbit corneal epithelium to study migration of epithelial sheets during wound closure and cell-substrate adhesion. To study wound closure, epithelial defects, 6 mm in diameter, were produced in vitro in 24 well multiplates by a local freezing technique, and the size of the remaining defect was quantitated over time by staining. To study adhesion, cultured cells were labeled with 3H-leucine, suspended, and added to fresh culture plates. At various times, adherent cells were lysed and the radioactivity of the lysate was determined. Serum enhances the closure of experimental defects, but laminin and fibronectin have no effect. Agents which alter mitotic rate, such as epidermal growth factor and 5-fluorouracil, do not influence the rate of wound closure in this assay. Compounds which elevate intracellular levels of cyclic AMP inhibit wound closure but promote cell-substrate adhesion. Thus, cultured corneal epithelial cells may be used to assay for influences on the migratory events governing closure of superficial epithelial wounds.