Skip to main content
. 2015 Aug 28;6(3):863–888. doi: 10.3390/jfb6030863

Table 1.

Reconstruction of ocular surface using cultured bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Author, Year, (Reference) Cell Source Methods LSCD Model Follow-up Time Evaluation Results
Ma et al. 2006 [35] Bone Marrow-Derived MSCs; Human Cultured on AM carrier; Transplanted (n = 16);
Control groups: 1) transplanted with fibroblast cells on AM (n = 8) and 2) transplanted with only AM (n = 7)		 Rats; Disc paper saturated with 1 N NaOH onto cornea 4 weeks Slit lamp evaluation; Histology; IH Reconstruction in 100% (16/16) of animals;
Cornea completely transparent in 56.3% (9/16) of animals; Neovascularization detected within 2 mm and over 2 mm in 37.5% (6/16) and 12.5% (2/16) of animals, respectively;
No complications
Ye et al. 2006 [39] Bone Marrow-Derived MSCs; Rabbit Cultured in α-MEM; IV injection; Four groups:
  • 1)

    normal BM function, without MSCs injection (n = 15),

  • 2)

    normal BM function, with MSCs injection (n = 15),

  • 3)

    BM suppressed by CP, without MSCs injection (n = 15),

  • 4)

    BM suppressed by CP, with MSCs injection (n = 15)

 Rabbits; Filter paper saturated with 1 N NaOH onto cornea 1 month Slit lamp evaluation; IH Reconstruction in 100% (15/15) of animals in Group 2;
Cornea more clear in group 2 compared with other groups;
Neovascularization appeared on day 14 in Group 2;
No complications
Gu et al. 2009 [33] Bone Marrow-Derived MSCs; Rabbit Cultured on fibrin carrier; Transplanted (n = 10);
Control: eyes transplanted with only fibrin graft gel (n = 10)		 Rabbits; Cornea treated with n-heptanol 4 weeks Slit lamp evaluation; Histology; FC; IF Reconstruction in 100% (10/10) of animals;
Iris partially clear in 30% (3/10) and completely obscure in 70% (7/10) of animals;
Neovascularization detected over 3 mm from the limbus in 80% (8/10) of animals;
No complications
Omoto et al. 2009 [36] Bone Marrow-Derived MSCs; Human Cultured in α-MEM; Carrier-free sheets transplanted; Control: no transplantation;
Number of animals not reported		 Rabbits; Cornea treated with n-heptanol 4 weeks Slit lamp evaluation; Histology; IH; RT-PCR Reconstruction of corneal epithelium successful;
Corneal clarity: no data;
Neovascularization: no data;
No complications
Jiang et al. 2010 [34] Bone Marrow-Derived MSCs; Rat Cultured on AM carrier; Three groups:
  • 1)

    transplanted with only AM (n = 12);

  • 2)

    MSCs on AM (n = 12);

  • 3)

    MSCs induced by CSCs on AM (n = 12); Control: no transplantation (n = 12)

 Rats; Filter paper saturated with 1 N NaOH onto cornea 10 weeks Slit lamp evaluation; Histology; CLCM; SEM; FC; IF; IH Reconstruction in 75% (9/12) of animals in group 3;
Cornea completely transparent in 75% (9/12) of animals; Neovascularization limited within 2 mm of the limbus;
No complications
Zajicova et al. 2010 [40] Bone Marrow-Derived MSCs; Mouse Cultured on nanofiber scaffold carrier;
Co-transplantation of LSC and MSCs;
Control: normal eyes; Number of animals not reported		 Mice; Epithelial debridement with a needle 2 weeks Slit lamp evaluation; CLCM; FC; RT-PCR Significantly inhibited local inflammatory reactions and supported healing process;
Corneal clarity: no data;
Neovascularization: no data;
No complications
Reinshagen et al. 2011 [37] Bone Marrow-Derived MSCs; Rabbit Cultured in DMEM; Three groups:
  • 1)

    MSCs injected under transplanted AM (n = 6);

  • 2)

    transplanted with only AM (n = 5);

  • 3)

    transplanted with AM and autologous LEC (n = 4), Control: no transplantation (n = 6)

 Rabbits; Cornea treated with n-heptanol 6 months Slit lamp evaluation; Histology; IH Reconstruction in 100% (6/6) of animals in Group 1;
Improved corneal clarity;
Neovascularization of the entire cornea in all animals;
No complications
Rohaina et al. 2014 [38] Bone Marrow-Derived MSCs; Human Cultured on AM carrier; Transplanted (n = 4);
Control groups:
  • 1)

    transplanted with only AM (n = 5);

  • 2)

    no transplantation (n = 6)

 Rats; Disc paper saturated with 1 N NaOH onto cornea 8 weeks Slit lamp evaluation; Histology; IH; OCT; RT-PCR Reconstruction in 100% (4/4) of animals;
Moderate corneal clarity;
Minimal vascularization;
No complications

AM, amniotic membrane; BM, bone marrow; CFE, colony-forming efficiency; CLCM, confocal laser corneal microscopy; CP, cyclophosphamide; CSCs, corneal stromal cells; FC, flow cytometry; IH, immunohistochemistry; IF, immunofluorescence; IV, intravenous; LEC, limbal epithelial cells; LSC, limbal stem cells; LSCD, limbal stem cell deficiency; MSCs, mesenchymal stem cells; OCT, optical coherence tomography; RT-PCR, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction; SEM, scanning electron microscopy.