Transplantation of corneal stem cells cultured on amniotic membrane for corneal burn: experimental and clinical study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the proliferation and differentiation of cultured corneal stem cells and determine the effect of corneal stem cells cultured on amniotic membranes on the limbal area for treating corneal burns.


METHODS
The proliferation and differentiation of corneal stem cells in vitro had been examined using colony-forming efficiency and immunohistochemistry. The stem cells had been cultured on amniotic membranes and transplanted to the limbal area for treating corneal burns.


RESULTS
Corneal stem cells had a high proliferation capacity in primary and first passage, cytokeratin 3 was not expressed in primary culture but partly in first passage. The stem cells could proliferate to form cell layer on an amniotic membrane. When transplanted, stem cells could survive on limbus. After transplantation, ocular inflammation resolved, the cornea re-epithelialized, the stromal opacity reduced, the superficial neovascularity was lessened and the conjunctival fornix re-established.


CONCLUSIONS
Ocular surface conditions could be improved by allograft of corneal stem cells cultured on amniotic membranes.
Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Tong Ren Hospital, Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
Zhiqiang
Z
Pan
Wenhua
W
Zhang
Yuying
Y
Wu
Baochen
B
Sun
D000468:Alkalies; D000650:Amnion / Q000637:transplantation*; D000818:Animals; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000601:surgery*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D017690:Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*; D005126:Eye Burns / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000601:surgery*; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D007633:Keratins / Q000032:analysis; D016850:Limbus Corneae / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D011817:Rabbits; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000468:Alkalies; D007633:Keratins