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Published on: September 12, 2014
Human corneal decellularization for regenerative therapy from methods to clinical applications
Seyede Saleheh Attari1, Sepehr Zamani2, Shaghayegh Doudi3
1Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran.
Tissue & Cell
|July 15, 2026
Summary
Recycled human corneal tissue, like decellularized extracellular matrix (ECM) and SMILE lenticules, offers a promising alternative to donor grafts for treating corneal blindness. These biomaterials preserve native structure, reduce immune rejection, and support stromal regeneration, addressing donor shortages.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology and Regenerative Medicine
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
Background:
- Corneal stromal opacity causes blindness, with donor tissue shortages and graft complications limiting keratoplasty success.
- Current treatments face challenges including limited donor availability and immune rejection, necessitating novel regenerative strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review decellularization methods, characterization, and applications of human corneal extracellular matrix (ECM) for stromal regeneration.
- To highlight the potential of decellularized corneal tissues, including SMILE-derived lenticules, as alternatives to donor grafts.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Jan 2010-Mar 2025) using keywords: 'human cornea', 'decellularization', 'corneal stroma', 'decellularized ECM', 'SMILE lenticule', 'tissue engineering', '3D bioprinting'.
- Inclusion of peer-reviewed original articles, reviews, and clinical studies, supplemented by manual bibliography screening.
Main Results:
- Decellularized human corneal tissues preserve native ECM architecture and reduce immunogenicity.
- SMILE-derived lenticules and non-transplant-grade donor corneas are promising biomaterials for stromal regeneration.
- Current decellularization techniques and characterization methods are outlined, with preclinical and clinical applications discussed.
Conclusions:
- Recycled human corneal ECM shows potential as a viable alternative to conventional donor tissue for corneal regeneration.
- Challenges remain in standardization, immunogenicity control, and regulatory pathways for clinical translation of these biomaterials.
Keywords:
Corneal stromaCorneal transplantationDecellularization techniquesRegenerative medicineTissue engineering
