Constant shortage of donated corneas have led researchers in Sweden and Spain to explore the possibilities of cultivating corneas from human stem cells.
Two separate studies from the University of Navarra Hospital, Spain and Sahlgrenska Academy University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have attempted to cue in on developing the "epithelial cells" that keep the cornea in its transparent form.
While Swedish scientists have grown stem cells on human corneas, their Spanish counterparts have regenerated the corneal epithelium using cells from the healthy limbus of patients with corneal damage.
A corneal transplant is the only way to prevent total blindness. The result is that nearly 100,000 corneal implants are impacted globally each year. The process calls for replacing the damaged cornea with a healthy and transparent one, relying heavily on donors. Religious or political views have also attacked the medical outcomes of corneal implants adding to long waiting periods for donor-led corneal transplants.
Swedish Scientists Grow Cornea in the Laboratory
Like us on Facebook
In a first-time effort, scientists at the Sahlgrenska Academy have grown stem cells on human corneas which could perhaps do away with donated corneas in the long run.
The Swedish study published in the journal Acta Ophthalmologica explored ways to develop "epithelial cells" using laboratory cultures for 16 days, which were further cultured on the human cornea for another six days.
Lead scientists Charles Hanson and Ulf Stenevi used defective corneas from the ophthalmology clinic at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Mlnda for their experiment.
"Similar experiments have been carried out on animals, but this is the first time that stem cells have been grown on damaged human corneas. It means that we have taken the first step towards being able to use stem cells to treat damaged corneas," said Hanson.
Visit link:
Scientists Repair Eyesight Using Human Cornea From Stem Cells