Cultivated Corneal Endothelial Transplantation in a Primate: Possible Future Clinical Application in Corneal Endothelial Regenerative Medicine

• DOI: 10.1097/ico.0b013e31817f2298
• Publication Date: 2008-09-22T07:08:30Z
• Authors: Noriko Koizumi; Yuji Sakamoto; Naoki Okumura; Hideaki Tsuchiya; Ryuzo Torii; Leanne J Cooper; Yuriko Ban; Hidetoshi Tanioka; Shigeru Kinoshita
• Keywords: Corneal Endothelium; Bullous keratopathy; Corneal Transplant; Corneal Diseases

Purpose: To review our attempt to devise a method of cultivated corneal endothelial transplantation using primates in which endothelium, like that humans, has low proliferative ability. Methods: Monkey cells (MCECs) were cultivated, with subcultures grown on collagen type I carriers. The endothelia 6 eyes monkeys scraped intensively, after MCEC sheets inserted into the anterior chamber 4 eyes. As controls, sheet without MCECs was transplanted 1 eye monkey, and suspension injected another monkey. Results: produced confluent monolayer closely attached hexagonal cells, expressed both ZO-1 Na+-K+ adenosine triphosphatase. Early postoperative period Descemet membrane, clarity recovered. Six months transplantation, MCEC-transplanted corneas remained clear, observed. In animal longer observation, polygonal observed by vivo specular microscopy at density >2000 cells/mm2 >1600 for ≤2 years. Control showed irreversible bullous keratopathy throughout observation period. Conclusions: Cultivated become maintain clear cornea years postoperatively, suggesting might have ability once they been cultured proliferated vitro. Our monkey model constitutes an important step forward regenerative medicine possible future application patients dysfunction.