Purpose: Develop an autologous culture method for ex vivo expansion of human limbal epithelial progenitor cells (LEPCs) using Plasma Rich in Growth Factors (PRGF) as a growth supplement and as a scaffold for the culture of LEPCs.

Methods: LEPCs were cultivated in different media supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) or 10% PRGF. The outgrowths, total number of cells, colony forming efficiency (CFE), morphology and immunocytochemistry against p63- α and cytokeratins 3 and 12 (CK3-CK12) were analyzed. PRGF was also used to elaborate a fibrin membrane. The effects of the scaffold on the preservation of stemness and the phenotypic characterization of LEPCs were investigated through analysis of CK3-CK12, ABCG-2 and p63.

Results:  LEPCs cultivated with PRGF showed a significantly higher growth area than FBS cultures. Moreover, the number of cells were also higher in PRGF than FBS, while displaying a better morphology overall. CFE was found to be also higher in PRGF groups compared to FBS, and the p63-α expression also differed between groups. LEPCs cultivated on PRGF membranes appeared as a confluent monolayer of cells and still retained p63 and ABCG-2 expression, being negative for CK3-CK12.

Conclusions: PRGF can be used in corneal tissue engineering, supplementing the culture media, even in a basal media without any other additives, as well as providing a scaffold for the culture.