Objective: To investigate the difference in corneal epithelium between patients with and without soft contact lens (SCL) wearing, and to analyze corneal epithelial changes of the eyes with long-time SCL wearing.
Methods: In this cross sectional study, the subjects were divided into two groups: 13 patients of daily SCL wearers and 11 control subjects who had never worn contact lenses. The flap of corneal epithelium was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The corneal epithelial microvillus density was compared between the two groups.
Results: Transmission electron micrographs of the control group showed a tight connection between cells, regularly aligned basal cells, and continuous basement membrane. Compared with the control group, SCL wearers showed incomplete basement membrane, swollen epithelial cells, swollen mitochondria, and widened intercellular interstices. The density of corneal epithelium microvilli [(0.071466 +/- 0.015889)/microm2 vs. (0.139851 +/- 0.024171)/micro2] was lower (t = 8.312, P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Long-term SCL wearing can induce remarkable changes of corneal epithelial tissue, and the density of corneal epithelial microvilli decreases.
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Ocul Surf
January 2025
Ocular Surface Center, Cullen Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030 United States. Electronic address:
Purpose: To explore the destructive and protective effects and therapeutic targets of IL-36 cytokines in dry eye disease using a murine dry eye model.
Methods: A dry eye model was established in C57BL/6 mice exposed to desiccating stress (DS) with untreated mice as controls. A topical challenge model was performed in normal mice with exogenous rmIL-36α, rhIL-38 and 2% ectoine, or PBS vehicle.
Acta Biomater
January 2025
Ophthalmology Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of Ministry of Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Institute of Ophthalmology, Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Aier School of Ophthalmology, Central South University, Changsha, China. Electronic address:
The shortage of corneal donors and the limitations in tissue engineering grafts, such as biocompatibility and mechanical properties, pose significant challenges in corneal transplantation. Here, for the first time, we investigate the effect of Rho kinase inhibitor Y-27632 and a dual media culture approach, including proliferative media (M1) and stabilizing media (M2), on rabbit limbal epithelial stem cells (LESCs), aiming to explore the feasibility of constructing corneal cell sheets in vitro through auto-bioprinting and assessing their corneal wound healing capacity in vivo. Y-27632 has primarily demonstrated significantly enhanced LESCs growth, proliferation, and reduced apoptosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFActa Biomater
January 2025
Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100005, China. Electronic address:
Limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) causes vision loss and is often treated by simple corneal epithelial cell transplantation with poor long-term efficiency. Here, we present a biomimetic bilayer limbal implant using digital light processing 3D printing technology with gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) and poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) bioinks containing corneal epithelial cells (CECs) and corneal stromal stem cells (CSSCs), which can transplant CECs and improve the limbal niche simultaneously. The GelMA/PEGDA hydrogel possessed robust mechanical properties to support surgical transplantation and had good transparency, suitable swelling and degradation rate as a corneal implant.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Clin Med
January 2025
Department of Sciences, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Roma Tre University, Viale Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy.
: Diabetes is a well-recognised factor inducing a plethora of corneal alterations ranging from dry eye to reduced corneal sensibility, epithelial defects, and reduced cicatrisation. This cohort study aimed to assess the efficacy of a novel ophthalmic solution combining cross-linked hyaluronic acid (CHA), chondroitin sulfate (CS), and inositol (INS) in managing diabetes-induced corneal alterations. Specifically, it evaluated the solution's impact on the tear breakup time (TBUT), the ocular surface disease index (OSDI), and corneal sensitivity after three months of treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStem Cell Res Ther
January 2025
Department of Ophthalmology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1277 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430022, Hubei Province, China.
Purpose: To develop a method for enriching keratinocyte progenitor cells (KPCs) and establish a limbal niche (LN)-mediated transdifferentiation protocol of KPCs into corneal epithelial cells.
Methods: Limbal niche cells (LNCs) were isolated from limbal tissues through enzymatic digestion and characterized. Conditioned medium from LNCs cultures was collected.
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