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Updated: Sep 20, 2025
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A Micropatterning Assay for Measuring Cell Chirality
Published on: March 11, 2022
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Chirality Regulates Stem Cell Fate and Promotes Corneal Epithelial Regeneration via Manipulating Notch Pathway
Shiding Li1,2, Yu Zhao3, Junzhao Chen1,2
1Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China.
Summary
Chirality influences limbal epithelial stem cells (LESCs). Right-handed chiral hydrogels promote LESC differentiation and corneal healing, while left-handed hydrogels preserve stemness, offering new regenerative medicine strategies.
Area of Science:
- Cell biology
- Regenerative medicine
- Tissue engineering
Background:
- Stem cell differentiation and stemness are crucial for regenerative medicine.
- Chirality impacts biological processes, but its role in limbal epithelial stem cells (LESCs) is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of chirality in regulating limbal epithelial stem cells (LESCs) fate.
- To explore the potential of chiral hydrogels for corneal epithelial regeneration.
Main Methods:
- Utilized right-handed (DH) and left-handed (LH) chiral hydrogels.
- Assessed hydrogel effects on LESC proliferation, migration, differentiation, and stemness in vitro.
- Evaluated DH efficacy in a mouse model of corneal wound healing and limbal stem cell deficiency in vivo.
Main Results:
- DH enhanced LESC proliferation, migration, and differentiation into corneal epithelial cells.
- LH partially preserved LESC stemness.
- DH accelerated corneal wound healing, reduced inflammation, and inhibited vascularization in vivo.
- DH activated Notch signaling by increasing stereo-affinity to Notch1, promoting HES1 transcription.
Conclusions:
- Chirality plays a novel role in regulating LESC fate.
- Right-handed chiral hydrogels represent a drug-free, effective approach for corneal epithelial regeneration.
- This study offers new directions for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering applications.
Keywords:
Notch signaling pathwaychiral hydrogelchiralitycorneal epithelial regenerationlimbal epithelial stem cellsMore Related Videos
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