Cultured endothelial cells: hope for corneal patients

Antoon van den Bogaerdt is head of the Cornea, Skin, and Heart Valve departments at tissue bank ETB-BISLIFE. He explains how cultured endothelial cells could contribute to the treatment of eye problems in the future.

Van den Bogaerdt: ‘The innermost layer of the cornea consists of a single layer of specialized cells that regulate the fluid balance of the cornea. They pump ions out of the stroma, keeping the cornea thin and transparent for sharp vision.’

Eye problems

If these endothelial cells do not function properly due to disease or damage, vision becomes cloudy and blindness can occur. Currently, a (partial) corneal transplant is the only treatment.’

Cultured endothelial cells

‘An innovative technique is injecting cultured endothelial cells into the innermost layer of the cornea. The MERLN Institute and UMC Utrecht are researching this technique using cells from donor corneas. A major challenge is finding suitable donors, as only young donor corneas provide cells that can multiply sufficiently.’

‘It is also a challenge to ensure that the cells retain their optimal properties during the multiplication process. If this technique succeeds, it could reduce the shortage of donor corneas. One donor cornea could potentially help multiple patients in the future.’

Hope for patients

‘In the Netherlands, about 1,000 patients are currently waiting for a corneal transplant. Japanese researchers already achieved success with vision improvement after injections of cultured endothelial cells in 2018. It is therefore a hopeful development. But in the Netherlands, we are not there yet.’

Follow-up research needed

‘Before we can implement this technique in the Netherlands, follow-up research must establish the safety, durability, and optimal dosage of this treatment. ETB-BISLIFE is a partner in this research. In our new building in Haarlem, a specialized room has been set up for endothelial cell culture, with which we are contributing to this promising technique.’