Increased endothelial survival of organ-cultured corneas stored in FGF-2-supplemented serum-free medium.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of FGF-2 on corneal endothelial cell survival in porcine and human corneas during corneal storage in a serum-free medium.

Methods: Porcine and paired human corneas were stored at 32 degrees C for 9 and 22 days, respectively. One cornea of each pair was stored in a serum-free culture medium, and the mate was preserved in the same medium supplemented with 10 ng/mL FGF-2.