Publications by authors named "Daileen Cortez"
Purpose: The purpose of the present study is to investigate the expression of aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs) in rabbit corneas with limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) and corneas treated with cultured autologous oral mucosa epithelial cell sheet CAOMECS designed to reconstruct the ocular surface with LSCD.
Methods: New Zealand white rabbit autologous oral mucosal epithelial cells were isolated from a buccal biopsy and cultured to be grafted back onto corneas of rabbit model of LSCD. Immunofluorescent staining and Western blot analysis were used to compare the expression of ALDH1A1 and ALDH1A3 in healthy, LSCD-diseased, CAOMECS treated corneas.
The present study reports the feasibility and successful production of rabbit cG-CAOMECS, designed to reconstruct corneal epithelium of patients with bilateral limbal stem cell deficiency. To produce a safe, chemically defined and FDA compliant cG-CAOMECS, oral mucosal epithelial cells were isolated from a biopsy of rabbit buccal tissue and seeded on a cGMP-certified cell culture surface coated with GMP-grade extracellular matrix. A newly designed clinical-grade medium (KaFa™ medium) was utilized to carry out cell expansion.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To understand the mechanism of corneal keratin expression and clearance in corneal epithelium with Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency (LSCD). The hypothesis is that LSCD-induced proteasome dysfunction is a contributing factor to keratin aggregation, causing corneal keratin aggresome (CKAGG) formation.
Method: LSCD was surgically induced in rabbit corneas.
Purpose: This study focuses on characterizing proteasomes in corneal epithelial cells (CEC) and in cultured autologous oral mucosal epithelial cell sheets (CAOMECS) used to regenerate the ocular surface.
Methods: Limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) was surgically induced in rabbit corneas. CAOMECS was engineered and grafted onto corneas with LSCD to regenerate the ocular surface.