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Construction of corneal epithelium with human amniotic epithelial cells and repair of limbal deficiency in rabbit models

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Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the effect of a human amniotic epithelial cell (HAEC)-rabbit corneal stroma tissue-engineered cornea on ocular reconstruction in three different animal models. HAECs were isolated from human placenta, seeded onto rabbit corneal stroma. HAECs-rabbit corneal stroma tissue engineering cornea transplantation was examined in three distinct rabbit models: transplantation of cornea constructed (1) with lamellar corneal HAECs and rabbit corneal stroma, (2) with central corneal HAECs and rabbit corneal stroma, or (3) with full-thickness corneal HAECs and rabbit corneal stroma. In the tissue engineering corneal transplantation groups in all three models, the mean number of days to corneal epithelial healing was significantly shorter than that in the control group and the mean number of days to corneal neovascularization was significantly greater than in the control group. In addition, in the tissue engineering corneal transplantation groups in the central lamellar cornea model and the full-thickness corneal transplantation model neovascularization, corneal turbidity, and epithelial fluorescence were significantly less than in the control groups. HAECs can be induced to differentiate into corneal epithelial cells, which may be suitable for the reconstruction of the corneal epithelium in cases of limbal stem cell deficiency.

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Abbreviations

bFGF:

Basic fibroblast growth factor

BMSCs:

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells

EGF:

Epidermal growth factor

HAECs:

Human amniotic epithelial cells

HE:

Hematoxylin and eosin

LSCD:

Limbal stem cell deficiency

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (81100637) and Youth Foundation of Jinan University (51208020).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China

    Qing Zhou, Xiao-Yong Liu, Li Wang, Ming-Ming Jiang & Jian Chen

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, People’s Hospital of Huangpi District, Wuhan, Hubei, People’s Republic of China

    Yu-Xia Ruan

  3. Institute of Ophthalmology, Medical School of Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China

    Jing Wu

Authors
  1. Qing Zhou
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  2. Xiao-Yong Liu
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  3. Yu-Xia Ruan
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  4. Li Wang
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  5. Ming-Ming Jiang
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  6. Jing Wu
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  7. Jian Chen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jian Chen.

Additional information

Q. Zhou and X.-Y. Liu contributed equally to this work.

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Zhou, Q., Liu, XY., Ruan, YX. et al. Construction of corneal epithelium with human amniotic epithelial cells and repair of limbal deficiency in rabbit models. Human Cell 28, 22–36 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13577-014-0099-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13577-014-0099-6

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