Adipose-Derived Stem Cells are a Source for Cell Therapy of The
Corneal Stroma
F. Arnalich-Montiel 1, S. Pastor 2, A. Blazquez-Martinez 1, J.
Fernandez-Delgado 3, M. Nistal 4, J. L. Alio 2, M. P. De Miguel 1*
1 Cell Engineering Laboratory, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid,
Spain
2 Vissum Ophtalmological Institute of Alicante, and Miguel Hernandez
University, Alicante, Spain
3 Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department, La Paz University
Hospital, Madrid, Spain
4 Pathology Department, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
maria.demiguel@
Abstract
Most corneal diseases affect corneal stroma, and include immune or
infectious diseases, ecstatic disorders, traumatic scars and corneal
dystrophies. Cell-based therapy is a promising therapeutic approach
to overcome the current disadvantages of corneal transplantation. We
aimed to search for a cell source to repopulate and regenerate
corneal stroma.
We investigated the ability of human processed lipoaspirate-
(PLA) cells to regenerate corneal stroma in experimental animals. In
a first set of experiments, we tested the biosafety and
immunogenicity of human PLA stem cells transplanted into the corneal
stroma of rabbits. No immune response was elicited even though we
used immunecompetent animals. PLA cells survived up to 10 weeks post-
transplant, maintained their shape and remained intermingled between
the stroma without disrupting its histological pattern.
Interestingly, transparency was preserved even 10 weeks after the
transplant, when PLA cells formed a discontinuous layer in the
stroma. In a second set of experiments, regeneration of the corneal
stroma by PLA cells was assessed, creating a niche by partial
ablation of the stroma. After 12 weeks, human cells were disposed
following a multilayered pattern, and differentiated into functional
keratocytes, as assessed by the expression of aldehyde-3-
dehydrogenase and cornea-specific proteoglycan keratocan.
Based on our results, we believe that adipose-derived adult stem
cells can be a cell source for stromal regeneration and repopulation
in diseased corneas. The low health impact of the surgical procedure
performed to obtain the PLA cells provides this cell source with an
additional beneficial feature for their possible future autologous
use in human patients.
Key Words. Cornea, cell therapy, adipose-derived stem cells,
Mesenchymal stem cells, transplant, keratocan, stem cells
transplantation, keratocyte
http://stemcells.
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Cord Blood Registry
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The CNS Healing Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CNS_Healing
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