摘要Background Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) plays important roles in retina degeneration, light injury, mechanical injury, especially in retina ischemia-reperfusion injury (RIRI). This study was to investigate the therapeutical effect of bFGF on RIRI and its mechanisms. Methods Experimental RIRI was induced by increasing intraocular pressure (lOP) in the eyes of 48 rats. These rats were divided into normal control, ischemia-reperfusion and bFGF-treated groups. Histological and ultrastructural changes of in the retina of different groups were observed, and the number of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) was quantitatively analyzed under microscopy. Apoptotic cells were detected using the TdT-dUTP terminal nick-end labeling (TUNEL) method. The expression of caspase-3 was determined by streptavidin peroxidase (SP) immunohistochemistry. Atomic absorption spectrum method was used to evaluate the intracellular calcium changes. Results At the early stage of retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury, retina edema in the treated group was significantly eliminated compared with the untreated ischemic animals. RGCs in the bFGF-treated group was more than those in the untreated ischemic group during the post-reperfusion stages. In ischemic group, apoptotic cells could be found at 6th hours after reperfusion and reached the peak at 24th hours. At 72th hours no apoptotic cells could be found. The changes in caspase-3 expression had a similar manner. The intracellular calcium of rat retina began to increase at l th hour, reached the peak at 24 hours, and began to decease at 72th hours. The change of the three markers in the treatment group showed a similar pattern, but they were all relatively less obvious. Conclusion Apoptosis may play a vital role in RIRI. bFGF may has therapeutical effects on RIRI by inhibiting the increase of intracellular calciums and caspase-3 expression.