Morphological and Biomechanical Characterization of Amniotic Membranes Across Species: Equine, Canine, Porcine, Ovine, and Human Samples-A Pilot Study.

Equine amniotic membrane closely mirrors human AM biomechanically, suggesting strong potential as an ocular surface reconstruction biomaterial.

This pilot study compared the morphological and biomechanical properties of amniotic membranes (AMs) harvested from five species: equine, canine, porcine, ovine, and human. Placentas were collected, AMs were manually separated from the chorion, and all samples were cryopreserved in a 1:1 DMEM/glycerin solution at -80°C for 60 days. Following thawing, samples underwent thickness measurement, histological analysis, and biomechanical testing, with maximum tensile force (Newtons) and stiffness (N/mm) derived from force-displacement curves as primary mechanical endpoints. Equine and human AMs demonstrated the greatest thickness (0.070 mm and 0.068 mm, respectively), while ovine AM was the thinnest (0.017 mm). Porcine and canine AMs shared an intermediate thickness of 0.054 mm. Biomechanically, equine AM outperformed all other species, exhibiting the highest maximum tensile force (5.21 N) and stiffness (0.91 N/mm). Human AM ranked second in both parameters (2.17 N; 0.51 N/mm), followed by ovine, canine, and porcine AMs. The close resemblance between equine and human AMs in both thickness and mechanical behavior suggests equine AM may serve as a viable, potentially superior biomaterial for ocular surface reconstruction procedures. These findings have practical implications for veterinary ophthalmologists considering interspecies AM transplantation, particularly in large animal practice, and lay the groundwork for larger controlled studies evaluating clinical outcomes of equine AM use across species.

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