The purpose of this article was to evaluate the graft efficacy of reconstructed corneal layer, composed of autologous corneal epithelium and fibroblasts on a lyophilized amniotic membrane (LAM), in a severely alkali-burned corneal model. After biopsy specimens were obtained from the left eyes of 24 rabbits, the corneal epithelial cells and fibroblasts were expanded in vitro and the corneal layer was reconstructed on LAM. Thirty-six eyes of rabbits underwent alkali burn (1 N NaOH, 30 s) to create a limbal deficiency and a deeply damaged corneal stroma. Four weeks later, group 1 underwent a graft of the reconstructed corneal layer composed of autologous corneal epithelium and fibroblasts on LAM. Group 2 was transplanted with a graft of the reconstructed autologous corneal epithelium, and group 3 served as a control without surgery. Wound healing and stabilization of the ocular surfaces occurred much faster in group 1 than in groups 2 and 3. The eyes in group 3 revealed typical limbal deficiencies with conjuctivalization and persistent corneal epithelial defects. However, the corneas in group 1 developed only mild peripheral neovascularization. Immunohistochemical staining in group 1 demonstrated that p63, cytokeratin 3, E-cadherin, transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1, and collagen IV were expressed strongly in the corneal epithelium and basement membrane. On the basis of these results, transplantation of the reconstructed corneal layer, composed of autologous corneal epithelium and fibroblasts on LAM, partially accelerated the recovery of the alkali-injured rabbit ocular surface, and might be useful therapeutically for the treatment of patients with severely damaged cornea.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1525-1594.2006.00237.x | DOI Listing |
Front Cell Dev Biol
December 2024
Department of Ophthalmology, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States.
The cornea is densely innervated to maintain the integrity of the ocular surface, facilitating functions such as sensation and tear production. Following damage, alterations in the corneal microenvironment can profoundly affect its innervation, potentially impairing healing and sensory perception. One protein frequently upregulated at the ocular surface following tissue damage is galectin-3, but its contribution to corneal nerve regeneration remains unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStem Cell Reports
December 2024
Department of Ophthalmology, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, 150 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA. Electronic address:
It is widely recognized that the glycocalyx has significant implications in regulating the self-renewal and differentiation of adult stem cells; however, its composition remains poorly understood. Here, we show that the fucose-binding Aleuria aurantia lectin (AAL) binds differentially to basal cells in the stratified epithelium of the human limbus, hair follicle epithelium, and meibomian gland duct. Using fluorescence-activated cell sorting in combination with single-cell transcriptomics, we find that most epithelial progenitor cells and melanocytes in the limbus display low AAL staining (AAL) on their cell surface, an attribute that is gradually lost in epithelial cells as they differentiate into mature corneal cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt Ophthalmol
December 2024
Department of Ophthalmology, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey.
Purpose: To assess the safety and the efficacy of the "Sub-400 corneal cross-linking (CXL) protocol" for progressive keratoconus (KC) in ultrathin corneas.
Methods: The study included thirty four patients with progressive KC, who underwent CXL using the "Sub-400" protocol due to intraoperative thinnest corneal pachymetry ranging from 295 to 398 μm after epithelial removal. After the epithelium was removed, the following ultraviolet A irradiation was applied at a fluence of 3 mW/cm and the duration was adjusted based on the specific corneal stromal thickness.
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci
December 2024
State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential roles of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the development of dry eye disease (DED).
Methods: Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, derived from corneal tissues of a dry eye mouse model, was processed using the Seurat R program. The results were validated using a scopolamine-induced dry eye mouse model and a hyperosmotic-induced cell model involving primary human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) and immortalized human corneal epithelial (HCE-2) cells.
Sci Adv
December 2024
Eye Center, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Institute on Eye Diseases, Hangzhou 310009, P. R. China.
Corneal injury-induced fibrosis occurs because of corneal epithelial basement membrane (EBM) injury and defective regeneration. Corneal fibrosis inhibition and transparency restoration depend on reestablished EBM, where the collagen network provides structural stability and heparan sulfate binds corneal epithelium-derived cytokines to regulate homeostasis. Inspired by this, bioactive hydrogels (Hep@Gel) composed of collagen-derived gelatins and highly anionic heparin were constructed for scarless corneal repair.
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