Mechanism of induction of fibroblast to corneal endothelial cell.

OBJECTIVE: To explore mechanism of nduction of fibroblast to corneal endothelial cell. METHODS: Rabbit conjunctiva fibroblasts were used as feeder cells, rabbit oral mucosa epithelial cells were used as seed cells, and human denuded amniotic membrane was used as carrier to establish tissue engineering corneal endothelium. The transformation effect was observed. RESULTS: As concentration of mitomycin C increased, cell survival rate gradually decreased, cell proliferation was obviously inhibited when concentration≥25 µg/mL; 5 days after being treated by 5 µg/mL mitomycin C, cell body was enlarged and extended without cell fusion, however after being treated by 0.5 µg/mL mitomycin C, cell body was significantly proliferated and gradually fused; after 3 weeks of culture, stratified epithelium appeared on rabbit oral mucosa epithelial cells, differentiation layers were 4-5 and were well differentiated, the morphology was similar to corneal endothelial cells; Under electron microscope, surface layer of cells were polygonal, tightly connected to another with microvilli on the border, there was hemidesmosome between basal cells and human denuded amniotic membrane. CONCLUSIONS: Fibroblast cells have the potential of multi-directional differentiation, effective induction can promote emergence of intercellular desmosomes between seed cells and emergence of epithelial surface microvilli, and differentiate to the corneal endothelial cell. However, clinical application still needs more research and safety evaluation.

Effect of RSCs combined with COP-1 on optic nerve damage in glaucoma rat model.

OBJECTIVE: To explore effect of retinal stem cells (RSCs) combined with copolymer-1 (COP-1) immunotherapy on optic nerve damage in glaucoma rat model. METHODS: A total of 40 SD rats were selected for glaucoma model and were randomly divided into 4 groups to observe protective effects of RSCs transplantation combined with COP-1. RESULTS: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) were either positive in retina of RSCs transplanted or COP-1 immunological treated rat. Positive rate of BDNF and IGF-1 and expression of mRNA and protein were significantly higher in RSCs transplantation combined with COP-1 immunotherapy treated rats compared with the other 3 groups, in which amount of apoptotic RGCs was lowest. CONCLUSIONS: RSCs transplantation combined with COP-1 immunotherapy can promote the secretion of BDNF and IGF-1. They protect RGCs in glaucoma rats in coordination, significantly reduce the number of apoptosis RGCs so as to alleviate the optic nerve damage. It ponits a new research direction for treatment of glaucoma.