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Purpose: Donor tissue shortfalls and postsurgical complications are driving novel corneal tissue regeneration approaches. Corneal stromal keratocytes (CSKs) have shown promise in promoting corneal repair and restoring transparency. We investigated the impact of intrastromal CSK injection on corneal ultrastructure and proteoglycan (PG) distribution in a rat injury model.
Methods: Rats were divided into four groups: normal (n = 12), injured (irregular phototherapeutic keratectomy centrally; n = 6), CSK (injured + human CSK intrastromal injection; n = 6), and PBS (injured + PBS injection; n = 6). Three weeks after treatment, corneas were examined by slit-lamp and optical coherence tomography. Corneal ultrastructure was analysed via small-angle x-ray scattering (collagen fibril diameter, interfibrillar spacing and matrix order), transmission electron microscopy with cuprolinic blue before and after chondroitinase digestion (CS/DS and KS PGs), and immunofluorescence staining (lumican and decorin).
Results: Irregular phototherapeutic keratectomy caused corneal opacity and significantly disrupted stromal ultrastructure, characterized by increased haze density (P < 0.0001), change in central corneal thickness (P = 0.0005), and interfibrillar spacing (P < 0.0001), along with decreased fibril diameter (P < 0.0001), matrix order (P < 0.0001), CS/DS (P < 0.0001) and KS (P < 0.0001) PGs, lumican, and decorin. CSK injection recovered corneal clarity and native stromal ultrastructure, with haze density (P = 0.8086), change in central corneal thickness (P = 0.9503), fibril diameter (P = 0.1139), interfibrillar spacing (P = 0.5879), matrix order (P = 0.9999), CS/DS (P = 0.9969) and KS (P = 0.2877) PGs, lumican, and decorin returning to normal. In contrast, the PBS group exhibited similar corneal injury responses to the injured group.
Conclusions: CSK injection resolved early stage corneal scarring by restoring stromal collagen arrangement and PG distribution, further endorsing its potential for treating corneal opacities.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1167/iovs.66.2.45 | DOI Listing |
Tissue Eng Regen Med
September 2025
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, #505 BanPo-Dong, SeoCho-Gu, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea.
Background: Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune disease delineated by excessive lymphocyte infiltration to the lacrimal or salivary glands, leading to dry eye and dry mouth. Exosomes secreted from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are known to have anti-inflammatory and tissue regeneration abilities. This study endeavored to demonstrate the effect of MSC-derived exosomes on the clinical parameter of dry eyes and associated pathology in SS mouse model.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJpn J Ophthalmol
September 2025
Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Room E7, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
Abtract: PURPOSE: To evaluate the correlation between corneal backscatter and visual function in patients with Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD).
Study Design: Prospective case series.
Methods: This study included 53 eyes from 38 patients with FECD.
Ophthalmologie
September 2025
Klinik für Augenheilkunde am Universitätsklinikum der Medizinischen Hochschule Brandenburg, Hochstr. 29, 14770, Brandenburg, Deutschland.
Keratectasias including keratoconus are pathological curvature anomalies of the human cornea, which can progress and lead to permanent visual impairment. Corneal crosslinking can be used to stabilize the disease. Criteria for performing crosslinking have been defined by legislation in Germany, including an increase of the maximum anterior surface curvature Kmax by ≥ 1 diopter within 12 months.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Refract Surg
September 2025
The College of Medicine, Taibah University, Medina, Saudi Arabia.
Purpose: To present a case of synthetic intrastromal corneal ring segment (ICRS) intrusion secondary to necrosis and migration, managed by implantation of corneal allogenic intrastromal ring segments (CAIRS) within the preexisting tunnel.
Methods: A 24-year-old man with known keratoconus underwent bilateral ICRS implantation. He presented with blurred vision in the right eye 6 weeks after the procedure.
J Refract Surg
September 2025
Department of Refractive Surgery, Shanghai Aier Eye Hospital, Shanghai.
Purpose: To analyze the effects of ablation interruption on ablation depths and clinical refractive outcomes to characterize the impact of ambient temperature changes and ablation interruption on ocular surface temperature (OST) during excimer laser ablation.
Methods: This prospective study was conducted on laser ablations in polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) plates and porcine corneas to simulate laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) treatments using the EX500 laser (Alcon Laboratories, Inc) at ambient temperatures of 18, 20, and 22 °C. Ablation interruption was performed for 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 seconds at the 10th second of the treatment of -9.