[The research advance of small molecules inducing embryonic stem cells to differentiate into corneal epithelial-like...

Stem cells are becoming a hot topic of basic medicine and clinical research because of their wide self-renewal and differentiation potential in recent years. A number of small molecules that can be used to control stem cell self-renewal, lineage differentiation, reprogramming and regeneration could regulate stem cell fate quickly and reversibly. If small molecules could induce human embryonic stem cells to differentiate into corneal epithelial-like cells in vivo, corneal cell transplantation therapy will have unlimited source of corneal epithelium. More patients will obtain effective and timely treatment. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2017, 53: 230-235).