Center for Eye Research and Innovative Diagnostics, Department of Ophthalmology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, 0450, Norway.
Department of Ophthalmology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, 0450, Norway.
Macromol Biosci. 2023 Jul;23(7):e2200422. doi: 10.1002/mabi.202200422. Epub 2023 Apr 26.
Injury of the cornea is a complex biological process. Regeneration of the corneal stroma can be facilitated by the presence of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and application of tissue equivalents. A new tissue-engineering strategy for corneal stroma regeneration is presented using cellularized 3D bioprinted hydrogel constructs implanted into organ cultured porcine corneas using femtosecond laser-assisted intrastromal keratoplasty. The ex vivo cultured, MSC-loaded 3D bioprinted structures remain intact, support cell survival, and contain de novo synthesized extracellular matrix components and migrating cells throughout the observation period. At day 14 postimplantation, the cellularized tissue equivalents contain few or no cells, as demonstrated by optical coherence tomography imaging and immunofluorescent staining. This study successfully combines a laboratory-based method with modern, patient-care practice to produce a cell-laden tissue equivalent for corneal implantation. Optimal bioink composition and cellularization of tissue equivalents are essential in fine-tuning a method to promote the current technique as a future treatment modality.
角膜损伤是一个复杂的生物学过程。间质基质细胞（MSCs）的存在和组织等效物的应用可以促进角膜基质的再生。本研究提出了一种新的角膜基质再生的组织工程策略，使用细胞化的 3D 生物打印水凝胶构建体，通过飞秒激光辅助的间质内角膜移植术植入器官培养的猪角膜中。在体培养的、负载 MSC 的 3D 生物打印结构保持完整，支持细胞存活，并在整个观察期内包含新合成的细胞外基质成分和迁移细胞。在植入后 14 天，通过光相干断层扫描成像和免疫荧光染色显示，细胞化的组织等效物几乎不含细胞或不含细胞。本研究成功地将基于实验室的方法与现代的患者护理实践相结合，为角膜植入提供了细胞负载的组织等效物。最佳的生物墨水组成和组织等效物的细胞化是微调该方法的关键，以促进该技术作为未来的治疗方式。
