Decellularized Human Stromal Lenticules Combine with Corneal Epithelial-Like Cells: A New Resource for Corneal Tissue Engineering

Figure 4

The expression levels of c-MYC (a–c) were significantly higher in the iPSC group than in the other groups. In contrast, the results of western blotting showed that the protein levels of CK3+12 (d, f, g) were higher in group A than in the other groups, as well as P63 (e, f, h). Decellularized human corneal stroma had no cells reserved (i). After 32 days in the differentiation culture, grafts grown on decellularized corneal stroma exhibited cell outgrowths and formed a stratified epithelial layer within 14 days of cultivation in group A (j). Few cells remained on the decellularized corneal stroma in group B and group C (k, l). The expression of the markers of terminally differentiated corneal epithelial cells, K3 (m) and K12 (n). Group B and group C also expressed the markers K3 (o, q) and CK12 (p, r), but the expression was lower than that in group A. Magnification: ×100 (i–l) and ×200 (m–r). The scale bars represent 50 μm (i–l). The scale bars represent 25 μm (m–r).