Onion Epithelial Membrane Scaffolds Transfer Corneal Epithelial Layers in Reconstruction Surgery

Abstract

Plants and their extracts have been used especially in China for more than ten centuries for preventing and treating disease. However, there are only few reports describing their use in animal cell culture and tissue transplantation. In this study, onion epithelial membranes (OEM) is used as scaffolds to support cultures of a variety of cells such as fibroblasts and epithelial cells notably; they maintain the phenotypic characteristics of corneal epithelial cells. This improvement includes preservation of the proliferative potential and stemness of rabbit corneal epithelial cells (RCECs). Such an outcome suggests that this cost‐effective technology warrants further evaluation to determine if OEM is a viable candidate for use as scaffolds in corneal epithelial transplantation surgery. To test this possibility, rabbit corneal epithelial cells expanded on OEM are transplanted to treat corneal epithelial defects in limbal stem cell deficient rabbits. This procedure is successful because it shortens the time required for wound healing to restore losses in corneal epithelial integrity, and forms a more compact and stratified epithelium framework than the untreated group. Ultimately, should they be proven to be effective in other relevant animal model systems, their usefulness for treating wounds in a clinical setting warrants consideration.

Topical onion juice mitigates the morphological alterations of the cornea in the aged male rats

“…The current study assessed the ability of topical onion juice to ameliorate age-related corneal changes based on histopathological, immunohistochemical and histomorphometric examinations. Despite their limited number, previous experimental studies assessed the effects of onion extracts on corneal changes related to different animal models [18,28], in addition to the effects of onion extracts on the pathological changes of other ocular structures [19,29,30]. Furthermore, several publications indicated that age has major changes on the cornea [31][32][33][34][35].…”

Profile of biological characterizations and clinical application of corneal stem/progenitor cells

“…However, due to the disadvantages of HAM (such as high thickness, variable transparency, biodegradation and immunosuppression), it is urgent for us to find alternative cell carriers/scaffolds to substitute for HAM. At present, alternative cell carriers/scaffolds contain modified HAM, collagen[ 159 , 160 ], fibrin[ 161 ], siloxane hydrogel contact lenses, human lens capsules, poly (ε-caprolactone)[ 162 ], onion epithelial membrane scaffolds[ 163 ], carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)[ 164 ], electrospun polycaprolactone/gelatine nanocomposites[ 165 ] and other emerging materials. The modified HAM will be described in detail below.…”