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Morphological and Biomechanical Characterization of Amniotic Membranes Across Species: Equine, Canine, Porcine, Ovine, and Human Samples-A Pilot Study.
Abstract: The use of amniotic membrane (AM) has become well established in the treatment of ocular surface disorders in both humans and animals. However, comparative studies of AM from different species remain scarce. Objective: To compare the thickness and biomechanical properties of equine, canine, porcine, and ovine AMs with those of human AM. Methods: Placentas were collected, and AMs were manually separated from the chorion. All AM samples were cryopreserved in a 1:1 solution of Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM) and glycerin at -80°C for 60 days. After thawing, samples underwent thickness, histological, and biomechanical analyses. Results: Porcine and canine AMs had an average thickness of 0.054 mm, while ovine AM averaged 0.017 mm. Equine and human AMs had average thicknesses of 0.070 and 0.068 mm, respectively. The key mechanical properties evaluated were maximum tensile force (in Newtons) and stiffness (N/mm), derived from the force-displacement curve. Equine AM exhibited the highest mean maximum tensile force (5.21 N), followed by human (2.17 N), ovine (1.35 N), canine (1.34 N), and porcine (0.52 N). Equine AM also demonstrated the highest mean stiffness (0.91 N/mm), followed by human (0.51 N/mm), ovine (0.46 N/mm), canine (0.27 N/mm), and porcine (0.15 N/mm). Conclusions: Equine AM closely resembles human AM in terms of thickness and mechanical behavior. Moreover, equine AM demonstrated superior biomechanical performance, suggesting its potential as a robust alternative biomaterial for ocular surface reconstruction.
© 2026 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.
Publication Date: 2026-07-31 PubMed ID: 42533366PubMed Central: PMC13424851DOI: 10.1111/vop.70236Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
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Overview
- This study compares the thickness and biomechanical properties of amniotic membranes (AM) from various animal species—equine, canine, porcine, and ovine—to those of human AM.
- The goal was to evaluate the suitability of AM from different species for ocular surface treatment by analyzing morphology and mechanical strength.
Background
- Amniotic membrane (AM) is widely used in treating ocular surface disorders due to its beneficial properties like promoting healing and reducing inflammation.
- While AM usage is common in both humans and animals, there is limited research comparing AM characteristics across different species.
- Understanding how AM from various species measures up to human AM in terms of thickness and mechanical properties is important for potential cross-species applications or bioengineering perspectives.
Objective
- To compare morphological (thickness) and biomechanical (tensile strength and stiffness) characteristics of AMs from equine (horse), canine (dog), porcine (pig), and ovine (sheep) species to human AM.
Methods
- Collection: Placentas from the different species were collected and the amniotic membranes were manually separated from the chorion (the outer fetal membrane).
- Preservation: All AM samples were cryopreserved in a solution of Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle’s Medium (DMEM) and glycerin (1:1 ratio) at -80°C, stored for 60 days to simulate clinical storage conditions.
- Testing: After thawing, samples were analyzed for:
- Thickness measurement
- Histological examination (microscopic tissue analysis)
- Biomechanical testing, specifically tensile testing to determine maximum tensile force (strength before breaking) and stiffness (resistance to deformation, assessed from the force-displacement curve)
Results
- Thickness:
- Equine AM: 0.070 mm (thickest)
- Human AM: 0.068 mm (very close to equine)
- Porcine and canine AM: both at 0.054 mm
- Ovine AM: 0.017 mm (thinnest)
- Maximum Tensile Force (strength in Newtons):
- Equine: 5.21 N (highest strength)
- Human: 2.17 N
- Ovine: 1.35 N
- Canine: 1.34 N
- Porcine: 0.52 N (lowest strength)
- Stiffness (N/mm):
- Equine: 0.91 N/mm (most resistant to deformation)
- Human: 0.51 N/mm
- Ovine: 0.46 N/mm
- Canine: 0.27 N/mm
- Porcine: 0.15 N/mm (least stiff)
Interpretation
- Equine AM is very similar to human AM in thickness, indicating comparable structural morphology.
- Equine AM has significantly higher tensile strength and stiffness than human AM, suggesting superior biomechanical robustness.
- Other species’ AMs, especially porcine and ovine, were thinner and mechanically weaker.
- These biomechanical properties are crucial for AM’s durability and handling during ocular surface reconstruction and healing.
Conclusions and Implications
- Equine AM appears to be the most suitable non-human biomaterial for ocular surface applications due to its close resemblance and superior mechanical properties relative to human AM.
- This suggests the potential use of equine AM as a durable and effective alternative for ocular surface grafts, especially when human AM availability is limited.
- The findings also highlight the importance of biomechanical characterization in evaluating AM suitability across species for medical applications.
- Further studies with larger sample sizes and clinical outcomes are needed to confirm these pilot findings and translate them into practice.
Cite This Article
APA
Petersen MB, Seibel MP, Freitas EC, Locatelli CI, Formenton ABK, Vassoler JM, Kwitko S, Marinho DR, Pigatto JAT.
(2026).
Morphological and Biomechanical Characterization of Amniotic Membranes Across Species: Equine, Canine, Porcine, Ovine, and Human Samples-A Pilot Study.
Vet Ophthalmol, 29(5), e70236.
https://doi.org/10.1111/vop.70236 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Amnion / anatomy & histology
- Amnion / physiology
- Pilot Projects
- Dogs
- Horses
- Biomechanical Phenomena
- Humans
- Swine
- Female
- Sheep
- Species Specificity
- Tensile Strength
- Pregnancy
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors have not used AI to generate any part of the manuscript. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
References
This article includes 15 references
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