Development of a novel stem cell approach for corneal tissue engineering

Abstract

Corneal transplantation is frequently used to restore vision following corneal damage or disease but is limited by the availability of suitable donor corneas. Tissue engineering offers a novel answer to this problem through the generation of biomimetic materials on which corneal cells can be grown. This thesis examined the development of a tissue engineered corneal equivalent and sought to optimise the appropriate culture conditions for the generation of corneal specific extracellular matrix components in selected cell types. One significant challenge facing the construction of a tissue engineered cornea is the replication of the native stromal architecture. Chapter 3 addressed the generation of a corneal scaffold that mimicked the ultrastructure of the native stroma. A protocol was developed to fully decellularize porcine corneas using detergents and nucleases combined with the complex polysaccharide, dextran, at a concentration of 5 %.