Guiding Stem Cell Fate Through Physical Differentiation Towards Corneal Endothelial Cells: Polydimethylsiloxane Surface Micropatterning
Majid Kadkhodaie1 , Mehrdad Hashemi1 , Seyed-Hashem Daryabari2 , Hossein Aghamollaei3 *
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
- Assistant Prof. of Ophthalmology, Chemical Injury Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Chemical Injuries Research Center, Systems Biology and Poisonings Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1968653111, Iran
Abstract: Corneal endothelium dysfunction is a leading cause of vision loss worldwide due to limited regenerative capacity. Corneal transplantation is the current standard treatment but is constrained by severe donor cornea shortage. Cell-based therapy using cultivated corneal endothelial cells (CECs) has recently emerged as a promising alternative. Differentiating stem cells into CECs in an alternative method to overcome this limitation. This study aimed to introduce a novel method to provide CECs from mesenchymal stem cells.
Methods: First, the rabbit's corneal Descemet membrane with normal endothelial cells was isolated. The endothelial cell pattern was then created using Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymer. Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells were cultured on the PDMS and evaluated for cell differentiation after 7, 14, and 21 days. The evaluation included an examination of morphology and expression of CECs-specific genes, such as ZO-1 and Na+/k+ ATPase.
Results: The 7th and 14th-day differentiation groups exhibited a notable increase in the expression level of specific corneal endothelial genes as compared to the control sample. Moreover, the morphology of stem cells had transformed dendritic to hexagonal-like cells.
Conclusion: The process of transforming stem cells into corneal endothelial cells through physical differentiation is a cost-effective, highly efficient, and dependable approach. With further scrutiny, this technique holds the promise of becoming a viable substitute for stem cell-based therapies in the management of corneal endothelial cell malfunction.
