Scaffold-free tissue engineering of functional corneal stromal tissue.

ABSTRACT: Blinding corneal scarring is predominately treated with allogeneic graft tissue; however, there is a worldwide shortage of donor tissue leaving millions in need of therapy. Human corneal stromal stem cells (CSSC) have been shown produce corneal tissue when cultured on nanofibre scaffolding, but this tissue cannot be readily separated from the scaffold. In this study, scaffold-free tissue engineering methods were used to generate biomimetic corneal stromal tissue constructs that can be transplanted in vivo without introducing the additional variables associated with exogenous scaffolding. CSSC were cultured on substrates with aligned microgrooves, which directed parallel cell alignment and matrix organization, similar to the organization of native corneal stromal lamella. CSSC produced suff

SUBMITTER: Syed-Picard FN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5432418 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature