Reconstructed human cornea produced in vitro by tissue engineering

The aim of the present study was to produce a reconstructed human cornea in vitro by tissue engineering and to characterize the expression of integrin s and basement membrane proteins in this reconstructed cornea. Epithelial c ells and fibroblasts were isolated from human corneas (limbus or centre) an d cultured on plastic substrates in vitro. Reconstructed human corneas were obtained by culturing epithelial cells on collagen gels containing fibrobl asts. Histological (Masson's trichrome staining) and immunohistological (la minin, type VII collagen, fibronectin as well as beta(1), alpha(3), alpha(4 ), alpha(5), and alpha(6) integrin subunits) studies were performed. Human corneal epi thelial cells from the limbus yielded colonies of small fast-gr owing cells when cultured on plastic substrates. They could be subcultured for several passages in contrast to central corneal cells. In reconstructed cornea, the epithelium had 4-5 cell layers by the third day of culture; ba sal cells were cuboidal. The basement membrane components were already dete cted after 3 days of culture. Integrin stainings, except for the alpha(4) i ntegrin, were also positive after 3 days. They were mostly detected at the epithelium-stroma junction. Such in vitro tissue-engineered human cornea, w hich shows appropriate histology and expression of basement membrane compon ents and integrins, provides tools for further physiological, toxicological and pharmacological studies as well as being an attractive model for gene expression studies.