The Characteristics of Porcine Cornea as a Xenograft.
- Author:
Hyeon Il LEE
1
;
Mee Kum KIM
;
Jung Hwa KO
;
Hyun Ju LEE
;
Jin Hak LEE
;
Won Ryang WEE
Author Information
1. Seoul Artificial Eye Center Seoul National University Hospital Clinical Research Institute, Korea. wrwee@snu.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Alpha gal;
Cornea;
Keratoplasty;
Porcine;
Xenotransplantation
- MeSH:
Cell Culture Techniques;
Cornea*;
Corneal Transplantation;
Endothelial Cells;
Heterografts*;
Histocompatibility Antigens;
Humans;
Lymphocytes;
Transplantation, Heterologous
- From:Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society
2006;47(12):2020-2029
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: To investigate the feasibility, in terms of both physical and immunological aspects, of using porcine cornea as a xenograft in humans. METHODS: Corneal diameter, thickness and axial length were compared in 30 porcine and human control eyes. The histological characteristics and the distribution of the xenonatural antibody were also evaluated. In addition, changes in antigenecity were investigated by cultivating individual corneal cells. RESULTS: The mean values of the porcine corneal diameter (14.2+/-0.3 mm) and the thickness (867.2+/-23.8 mm) were larger than those of human, but, on the contrary, the axial length (20.2+/-0.74 mm) and the refractive power (40.4+/-0.9D) were not. The lymphocytes existed in the normal porcine limbus, and the distribution of alpha-gal was confined. However, in the cell culture, the expression of alpha-gal was prominent in both stromal (39.0+/-28.4%) and endothelial cells (87.1+/-4.4%) at the second passage. The expression of class II major histocompatibility antigen was comparable to that of human. CONCLUSIONS: Physical, optical, histological, and immunological characteristics suggest the possibility of using porcine cornea as a xenograft in humans.
