Published online Jul 26, 2014. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v6.i3.296
Revised: March 24, 2014
Accepted: April 11, 2014
Published online: July 26, 2014
Processing time: 264 Days and 7.5 Hours
Corneal diseases are a major cause of blindness in the world. Although great progress has been achieved in the treatment of corneal diseases, wound healing after severe corneal damage and immunosuppressive therapy after corneal transplantation remain problematic. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from bone marrow or other adult tissues can differentiate into various types of mesenchymal lineages, such as osteocytes, adipocytes, and chondrocytes, both in vivo and in vitro. These cells can further differentiate into specific cell types under specific conditions. MSCs migrate to injury sites and promote wound healing by secreting anti-inflammatory and growth factors. In addition, MSCs interact with innate and acquired immune cells and modulate the immune response through their powerful paracrine function. Over the last decade, MSCs have drawn considerable attention because of their beneficial properties and promising therapeutic prospective. Furthermore, MSCs have been applied to various studies related to wound healing, autoimmune diseases, and organ transplantation. This review discusses the potential functions of MSCs in protecting corneal tissue and their possible mechanisms in corneal wound healing and corneal transplantation.
Core tip: Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapy has been proposed as a possible treatment strategy for tissue wound repair, autoimmune diseases, and solid organ transplantation. MSCs are a promising stem cell population because of their self-renewal, pluripotential capability, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory properties. Recent studies have suggested that application of MSCs may be a new alternative method for wound healing after severe corneal damage and for immune rejection after corneal transplantation. In this review, we discuss the potential functions of MSCs in protecting corneal tissue and their possible mechanisms in corneal wound healing and corneal transplantation.