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Corneal Repair with Adhesive Cell Sheets of Fetal Cartilage-Derived Stem Cells

  • Original Article
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Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Aims and scope

Abstract

Background:

Corneal scarring or disease may lead to severe corneal opacification and consequently, severe loss of vision due to the complete loss of corneal epithelial cells. We studied the use of epithelial cell sheets differentiated from fetal cartilage-derived stem cells (FCSC) to resurface damaged cornea.

Methods:

The FCSC were isolated from the femoral head of immature cartilage tissue. The ability of the FCSCs to differentiate into corneal epithelial cells was evaluated using differentiation media at 2 days and 7 days post-seeding. A sheet fabricated of FCSCs was also used for the differentiation assay. The results of the in vitro studies were evaluated by immunocytochemistry and Western blots for corneal epithelial cell markers (CK3/12 and Pax6) and limbal epithelial stem cell markers (ABCG2 and p63). To test the material in vivo, an FCSC-sheet was applied as a treatment in a chemically burned rabbit model. The healing ability was observed histologically one week after treatment.

Results:

The in vitro experiments showed morphological changes in the FCSCs at two and seven days of culture. The differentiated cells from the FCSCs or the FCSC-sheet expressed corneal epithelial cells markers. FCSC were create cell sheet that successfully differentiated into corneal epithelial cells and had sufficient adhesion so that it could be fused to host tissue after suture to the ocular surface with silk suture. The implanted cell sheet maintained its transparency and the cells were alive a week after implantation.

Conclusion:

These results suggest that carrier-free sheets fabricated of FCSCs have the potential to repair damaged corneal surfaces.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by a Grant of the Korea Health Technology R&D Project funded by the Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (HI17C2191).

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Author notes

  1. In Su Park and Byeong Kook Kim contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cell Therapy Center, Ajou University School of Medicine, 164 World cup-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, 16499, Republic of Korea

    In-Su Park, Byeong Kook Kim, Minh-Dung Truong & Byoung-Hyun Min

  2. Ophthalmologic Department, Ajou University School of Medicine, 164 World cup-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, 16499, Republic of Korea

    Hong Seok Yang

  3. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea

    Sang-Hyug Park

  4. Nunevit Eye Clinic, 772 Gayadea-ro, Busanjin-gu, Busan, 47285, Republic of Korea

    Hyo Soon Park

  5. Department of Physiology, Inha University College of Medicine, 100 Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon, 22212, Republic of Korea

    Byung Hyune Choi

  6. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Ajou University School of Medicine, 164 World cup-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, 16499, Republic of Korea

    Bae Hie Won & Byoung-Hyun Min

  7. Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, 164 World cup-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, 16499, Republic of Korea

    Byoung-Hyun Min

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  1. In-Su Park
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Correspondence to Byoung-Hyun Min.

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Ethical statement

The study was approved by the institutional review board (IRB) of the Ajou University Medical Center (AJIRB-CRO-07-139) and was carried out with the informed consent of all donors. All applicable international, national and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. All animal studies were performed in compliance with the regulations and guidelines of the Ajou University institutional animal care committee and conducted according to AAALAC and IACUC guidelines. All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Park, IS., Kim, B.K., Truong, MD. et al. Corneal Repair with Adhesive Cell Sheets of Fetal Cartilage-Derived Stem Cells. Tissue Eng Regen Med 18, 187–198 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13770-020-00317-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13770-020-00317-w

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