Characterization of a tissue-engineered choroid

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Tissue Engineering
• Cell Biology

Background:

• The choroid provides nutrients to the outer retina and plays a role in retinal homeostasis through paracrine signaling.
• The precise function of individual choroidal cell types remains unclear.
• Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) involves the choroid/retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) complex, necessitating better disease models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer a functional choroidal substitute using a self-assembly approach.
• To create a 3D model for studying choroidal cell interactions and disease mechanisms.
• To develop a model for advancing therapeutics for choroidal diseases like AMD.

Main Methods:

• Isolation of human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, choroidal stromal fibroblasts, vascular endothelial cells, and melanocytes.
• Culture of fibroblasts to form extracellular matrix (ECM) sheets, creating a tissue-engineered choroidal stroma (TECS).
• Characterization of TECS for ECM composition, biomechanical properties, and repopulation by RPE cells, endothelial cells, and melanocytes.

Main Results:

• The engineered choroidal stroma (TECS) exhibited similar ECM composition and biomechanical properties to the native choroid.
• RPE cells, endothelial cells, and melanocytes successfully repopulated the TECS, forming physiological structures like a confluent RPE monolayer and vascular-like networks.
• The TECS model successfully replicated the biophysical environment of the native choroid.

Conclusions:

• The developed tissue-engineered choroidal stroma (TECS) serves as a viable model for studying normal choroidal cell interactions and exchanges.
• This model provides a platform for gaining insights into the pathophysiology of diseases affecting the choroid, particularly AMD.
• The cell-driven self-assembly approach offers a promising avenue for developing new therapeutic strategies for blinding eye diseases.