Corneal endothelial cells play a critical role in maintaining corneal transparency and dysfunction of these cells caused by aging, diseases (such as Fuch's dystrophy), injury or surgical trauma, which can lead to corneal edema and blindness. Due to their limited proliferative capacity in vivo, the only treatment method is via transplantation of a cadaver donor cornea. However, there is a severe global shortage of donor corneas. To circumvent such issues, tissue engineering of corneal tissue is a viable option thanks to the recent discoveries in this field. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in reprogramming adult human corneal endothelial cells into their progenitor status, the expansion methods and characteristics of human corneal endothelial progenitors, and their potential clinical applications as corneal endothelial cell grafts.
[1]Yan An Hosp Kunming City, Dept Ophthalmol, Kunming 650051, Yunnan, Peoples R China.
[2]Nanjing Med Univ, Affiliated Hosp 1, Dept Ophthalmol, Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu, Peoples R China.
[3]Shenzhen Univ, Shenzhen Key Lab Dept Ophthalmol, Sch Optometry & Ophthalmol, Shenzhen Eye Hosp, Shenzhen 518000, Peoples R China.
[4]Second Peoples Hosp Yunnan Prov, Dept Ophthalmol, Kunming 650021, Yunnan, Peoples R China.
[5]TissueTech Inc, Res & Dev Dept, 7000 SW 97th Ave,Suite 212, Miami, FL 33173 USA.
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