Figure 1.

A schematic diagram showing the procedure of development of bioengineered human corneal constructs with overexpression of GDNF or enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) and ex vivo autograft. A de-epithelialized corneal stromal disk (B) was prepared from fresh human corneoscleral tissues (A) using the IntraLase femtosecond laser. A 1 ×1.5 mm piece of human limbal explant tissue (E) obtained from another corneoscleral tissue of the same donor was placed on the top edge of Bowman's membrane side of the stromal disc (B) to develop a bioengineered corneal epithelial equivalent. At day 10, when the epithelial outgrowths were confluent on the stromal disc (D), adenoviral vectors were delivered. 24h later, the corneal constructs (F, Graft) with the explant removed was transplanted into its original corneal bed (C, Bed). The graft and recipient bed were then cultured (G) for epithelial cells expanding on the surface of the recipient (H).