利用表皮干细胞治疗兔角膜缘干细胞缺损

Treatment of Rabbit Corneal Wounds with Skin Epidermal Stem Cells

目的利用自体表皮干细胞与异体角膜基质细胞在体外构建双层组织工程角膜,并修复兔角膜缘干细胞的缺损。方法建立兔角膜缘干细胞缺损模型,以去细胞猪角膜基质片作为支架材料,以自体表皮干细胞与异体角膜基质细胞作为种子细胞,在体外构建组织工程角膜,并用来修复兔角膜缘干细胞缺损。结果利用自体表皮干细胞与异体角膜基质细胞复合异种去角膜基质片在体外成功构建组织工程角膜;构建的组织工程角膜与正常角膜相似,具有上皮层和基质层;用组织工程角膜修复兔角膜缘干细胞缺损3个月后,损伤角膜透明度恢复良好,组织学结构基本恢复正常。结论成功构建了兔的双层组织工程眼角膜,并修复了兔角膜缘干细胞缺损。

Objective To construct artificial rabbit corneas with autologous skin epidermal stem cells and allogenic stromal cells in vitro and promote healing of corneal wounds. Methods Skin epidermal stem cells were isolated from autologous skin samples. Keratocytes were isolated from newborn cornea biopsies. The cells were combined with acellular porcine corneal stroma scaffold to construct artificial corneas. Then the constructed artificial corneas were used to repair severe vision loss caused by complete loss of corneal epithelial stem cells. Results Cultured skin epidermal stem cells and keratocytes were in good growth conditions. Cultured artificial corneas consisted of multiplayer epithelial cells growing on stroma equivalent consisting of stromal matrix with incorporated keratocytes. The in vitro constructed artificial corneas were histologically similar to normal rabbit corneas. Three months after transplantation, the cornea wounds were healed and the rabbit cornea became transparent. Conclusion The artificial corneas were constructed successfully in vitro and can be used to repair severe vision loss caused by complete loss of corneal epithelial stem cells.