Corneal scarring, a significant cause of global blindness, results from various insults, including trauma, infections, and genetic disorders. The conventional treatment to replace scarred corneal tissues includes partial or full-thickness corneal transplantation using healthy donor corneas. However, only 1 in 70 individuals with treatable corneal scarring can undergo surgery, due to the limited supply of transplantable donor tissue.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe challenge of treating corneal scarring through keratoplasties lies in the limited availability of donor tissue. Various studies have shown the therapeutic use of cultivated corneal stromal stem cells (CSSCs) to mitigate tissue inflammation and suppress fibrosis and scar tissue formation in preclinical corneal wound models. To develop CSSC therapy for clinical trials on patients with corneal scarring, it is necessary to generate clinical-grade CSSCs in compliant to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) regulations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPrevious studies have shown that the nucleus could offer structural support to the lens capsule. This study investigated the biomechanical performance of porcine lens with and without nucleus for 4 mm, 4.5 mm, 5 mm, 5.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntrastromal cell therapy utilizing quiescent corneal stromal keratocytes (qCSKs) from human donor corneas emerges as a promising treatment for corneal opacities, aiming to overcome limitations of traditional surgeries by reducing procedural complexity and donor dependency. This investigation demonstrates the therapeutic efficacy of qCSKs in a male rat model of corneal stromal opacity, underscoring the significance of cell-delivery quality and keratocyte differentiation in mediating corneal opacity resolution and visual function recovery. Quiescent CSKs-treated rats display improvements in escape latency and efficiency compared to wounded, non-treated rats in a Morris water maze, demonstrating improved visual acuity, while stromal fibroblasts-treated rats do not.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe cornea is a transparent and vitally multifaceted component of the eye, playing a pivotal role in vision and ocular health. It has primary refractive and protective functions. Typical corneal dysfunctions include opacities and deformities that result from injuries, infections, or other medical conditions.
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