Publication
Title
Corneal endothelial cells over the past decade : are we missing the mark(er)?
Author
Abstract
Corneal endothelial dysfunction is one of the leading causes of corneal edema and visual impairment, requiring corneal endothelial transplantation. The treatments are limited, however, by both logistics and a global donor shortage. As a result, corneal researchers are striving to develop tissue-engineered constructs as an alternative. Recently, the clinical results of the first patients treated using a novel corneal endothelial cell therapy were reported, and it is likely many more will follow shortly. As we move from lab to clinic, it is crucial that we establish accurate and robust methods of proving the cellular identity of these products, both in genotype and phenotype. In this review, we summarized all of the markers and techniques that have been reported during the development of corneal endothelial cell therapies over the past decade. The results show the most frequently used markers were very general, namely Na+/K+ ATPase and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1). While these markers are expressed in nearly every epithelial cell, it is the hexagonal morphology that points to cells being corneal endothelium in nature. Only 11% of articles aimed at discovering novel markers, while 30% were already developing cell therapies. Finally, we discuss the potential of functional testing of cell products to demonstrate potency in parallel with identity markers. With this review, we would like to highlight that, while this is an exciting era in corneal endothelial cell therapies, there is still no accepted consensus on a unique endothelial marker panel. We must ask the question of whether or not we are getting ahead of ourselves and whether we need to refocus on basic science rather than enter clinics prematurely.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Translational vision science & technology / Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology [Rockville, Md] - Rockville, Md, 2012, currens
Publication
Rockville : Assoc research vision ophthalmology inc , 2019
ISSN
2164-2591
DOI
10.1167/TVST.8.6.13
Volume/pages
8 :6 (2019) , 9 p.
Article Reference
13
ISI
000503785600001
Pubmed ID
31772824
Medium
E-only publicatie
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 08.01.2020
Last edited 16.08.2024
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