Autologous bone marrow-derived cells for healing excisional dermal wounds of rabbits

The wound-healing potential of autologous bone marrow-derived nucleated cells was evaluated in full-thickness skin wounds in the thoracolumbar region of 20 clinically healthy rabbits. Three wounds of 2 x 2 cm, one on the left side and two right of the midline, were created on the dorsal lumbar region of each rabbit under xylazine-ketamine anaesthesia. The wounds of each animal were randomly assigned to one of three treatments: injection of autologous bone marrow-derived cells into wound margins (BI), topical application of bone marrow-derived cells over the wound surface (BT) or 5 per cent povidone iodine solution (PI) (control). Wounds were observed for 28 days for granulation tissue formation, wound contraction, histomorphological and histochemical evaluation, and time to complete healing. The mean (se) time to appearance of granulation tissue was significantly less in BI-treated wounds (3.22 [0.22] days) than the BT-treated (3.89 [0.40] days) and PI-treated (4.89 [0.47] days) groups. On days 14 and 21 after surgery, wound contraction was significantly (P<0.05) higher in BI-treated wounds (73.00 and 97.35 per cent) than in those treated with BT (58.75 and 84.87 per cent) and PI (54.84 and 84.60 per cent). Histomorphological findings showed an earlier disappearance of inflammatory reaction, better epithelialisation, significantly more neovascularisation, more fibroplasia and collagenation, and earlier histological maturation in BI- and BT-treated wounds than in control wounds.