Scientists Regrow Human Cornea with Adult Stem Cells

Scientists are taking strides forward when it comes to restoring human vision. They've discovered a way to enhance the regrowth of human corneal tissue using a molecule known as ABCB5 that acts as a marker for hard-to-find limbal stem cells.

Limbal stem cells reside in the eye's basal limbal epithelium, or limbus. These cells help maintain and regenerate corneal tissue. Yet they can be lost due to injury or disease and this, in turn, can lead to blindness. In the past, tissue transplants have been used in order to help the cornea regenerate. But scientists have been unsure whether there were actual limbal cells in the grafts; this made the outcomes inconsistent.

Now, scientists have taken a step forward when it comes to helping vision. They used antibodies detecting ABCB5 in order to zero in on the stem cells in tissue from deceased human donors. They then used these cells to regrow human corneas in mice.

"Limbal stem cells are very rare, and successful transplants are dependent on these rare cells," said Bruce Ksander, one of the researchers, in a news release. "This finding will now make it much easier to restore the corneal surface. It's a very good example of basic research moving quickly to a translational application."

ABCB5 occurs in limbal stem cells and is required for their maintenance and survival. In fact, mice lacking a functional ABCB5 gene lost their populations of limbal stem cells, and their corneas healed poorly after injury.

These new findings could be a huge step forward when it comes to helping humans heal their vision after an injury. By using these cells, researchers can improve the outcome of treatments and could potentially help repair human vision.

The findings are published in the journal Nature.