Review
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World J Stem Cells. Nov 26, 2022; 14(11): 777-797
Published online Nov 26, 2022. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v14.i11.777
Profile of biological characterizations and clinical application of corneal stem/progenitor cells
Pei-Xi Ying, Min Fu, Chang Huang, Zhi-Hong Li, Qing-Yi Mao, Sheng Fu, Xu-Hui Jia, Yu-Chen Cao, Li-Bing Hong, Li-Yang Cai, Xi Guo, Ru-Bing Liu, Fan-ke Meng, Guo-Guo Yi
Pei-Xi Ying, Department of Ophthalmology, Zhujiang Hospital, The Second Clinical School, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, Guangdong Province, China
Min Fu, Department of Ophthalmology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, Guangdong Province, China
Chang Huang, Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200030, China
Chang Huang, NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia, Fudan University, Shanghai 200030, China
Chang Huang, Key Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Visual Impairment and Restoration, Shanghai 200030, China
Zhi-Hong Li, Department of Cardiology, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Shock and Microcirculation, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510550, Guangdong Province, China
Qing-Yi Mao, Xu-Hui Jia, Yu-Chen Cao, Li-Bing Hong, Li-Yang Cai, Ru-Bing Liu, The Second Clinical School, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong Province, China
Sheng Fu, Hengyang Medical School, The University of South China, Hengyang 421001, Hunan Province, China
Xi Guo, Medical College of Rehabilitation, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong Province, China
Fan-ke Meng, Emergency Department, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, Guangdong Province, China
Guo-Guo Yi, Department of Ophthalmology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: Ying PX, Mao QY, Huang C, Fu M, and Yi GG designed the research study; Jia XH, Cao YC, Hong LB, Cai LY, Guo X, Liu RB, Meng FK, Fu M, and Yi GG provided help and advice; Ying PX, Fu M, Mao QY, Huang C, Li ZH, and Fu S wrote the manuscript; all authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Guo-Guo Yi, MMed, Attending Doctor, Department of Ophthalmology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 26 Erheng Road, Yuancun, Guangzhou 510655, Guangdong Province, China. yigg@mail.sysu.edu.cn
Received: August 21, 2022
Peer-review started: August 21, 2022
First decision: October 31, 2022
Revised: November 8, 2022
Accepted: November 23, 2022
Article in press: November 23, 2022
Published online: November 26, 2022
Abstract

Corneal stem/progenitor cells are typical adult stem/progenitor cells. The human cornea covers the front of the eyeball, which protects the eye from the outside environment while allowing vision. The location and function demand the cornea to maintain its transparency and to continuously renew its epithelial surface by replacing injured or aged cells through a rapid turnover process in which corneal stem/progenitor cells play an important role. Corneal stem/progenitor cells include mainly corneal epithelial stem cells, corneal endothelial cell progenitors and corneal stromal stem cells. Since the discovery of corneal epithelial stem cells (also known as limbal stem cells) in 1971, an increasing number of markers for corneal stem/progenitor cells have been proposed, but there is no consensus regarding the definitive markers for them. Therefore, the identification, isolation and cultivation of these cells remain challenging without a unified approach. In this review, we systematically introduce the profile of biological characterizations, such as anatomy, characteristics, isolation, cultivation and molecular markers, and clinical applications of the three categories of corneal stem/progenitor cells.

Keywords: Corneal epithelial stem cells, Corneal endothelium stem cells, Corneal stromal stem cells, Bioengineering, Gene markers

Core Tip: The manuscript systematically reviewed three categories of stem cells or progenitor cells in cornea (including corneal epithelial stem cells, corneal endothelial cell progenitors and corneal stromal stem cells). There are two aspects of the manuscript that will make it interesting to general readers. Not only have we systematically introduced the anatomy, characteristics, cultivation and gene markers of these corneal stem cells, but also highlighted the bioengineering in the clinical application of these corneal stem cells. In addition, this manuscript is accompanied by beautiful figures and tables.