Modeling the cornea in 3-dimensions: Current and future perspectives.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Tissue Engineering
• Biomaterials Science

Background:

• The human cornea, a transparent avascular tissue, is crucial for vision, with its stroma comprising over 90% collagen-rich extracellular matrix.
• Corneal structure and function are heavily influenced by the stromal microenvironment, making it a key focus for in vitro modeling.
• Existing tissue engineering efforts primarily concentrate on replicating the cellular and functional aspects of the corneal stroma.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and discuss the development of in vitro human cornea models.
• To analyze model development considering culture dimensionality (2D vs. 3D) and microenvironment influences on optical, biomechanical, and cellular functions.
• To highlight advancements in modeling relevant corneal cell types and their interactions.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of organotypic approaches for corneal tissue modeling.
• Exploration of compressed collagen and bioprinting techniques.
• Review of self-assembled stromal models and co-culture applications with corneal cell types (epithelial, stromal, endothelial, neuronal).

Main Results:

• Various tissue engineering methods, including organotypic models, compressed collagen, bioprinting, and self-assembled stromal models, are presented for human cornea reconstruction.
• Co-culture systems incorporating diverse corneal cell types enhance the physiological relevance of engineered models.
• The culture microenvironment significantly impacts the optical, biomechanical, and cellular functions of engineered corneal tissues.

Conclusions:

• Advancements in human cornea tissue models, particularly 3D and co-culture systems, are critical for studying corneal biology.
• Improved in vitro models will significantly enhance the understanding of corneal wound healing and regeneration processes.
• These models hold promise for future regenerative medicine applications in ophthalmology.