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Updated: Nov 8, 2025
Ex Vivo Corneal Organ Culture Model for Wound Healing Studies
Published on: February 15, 2019
In-situ porcine corneal matrix hydrogel as ocular surface bandage
Ghasem Yazdanpanah1, Ritu Shah2, Sri Raghurama R Somala2
1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Purpose:
Bioactive substrates can be used therapeutically to enhance wound healing. Here, we evaluated the effect of an in-situ thermoresponsive hydrogel from decellularized porcine cornea ECM, COMatrix (COrnea Matrix), for application as an ocular surface bandage for corneal epithelial defects.
Methods:
COMatrix hydrogel was fabricated from decellularized porcine corneas. The effects of COMatrix hydrogel on attachment and proliferation of human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) were evaluated in vitro. The effect of COMatrix on the expressions of the inflammatory genes, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 was assessed by RT-PCR. The in-situ application and also repairing effects of COMatrix hydrogel as an ocular bandage was studied in a murine model of corneal epithelial wound. The eyes were examined by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and slit-lamp microscopy in vivo and by histology and immunofluorescence post-mortem.
Results:
In vitro, COMatrix hydrogel significantly enhanced the attachment and proliferation of HCECs relative to control. HCECs exposed to COMatrix had less induced expression of TNF-α (P < 0.05). In vivo, COMatrix formed a uniform hydrogel that adhered to the murine ocular surface after in-situ curing. Corneal epithelial wound closure was significantly accelerated by COMatrix hydrogel compared to control (P < 0.01). There was significant increase in the expression of proliferation marker Ki-67 in wounded corneal epithelium by COMatrix hydrogel compared to control (P < 0.05).
Conclusions:
COMatrix hydrogel is a naturally derived bioactive material with potential application as an ocular surface bandage to enhance epithelial wound healing.
