The cornea is responsible for the majority of the eye's refringence, this makes it a vital structure an adequate visual function. Diseases affecting the eye are various and have different causes; however the almost always cause damage to this tissue, which, due to it's scarring characteristics, can have dramatic consequences in the affected individual's refraction. The field of tissue engineering offers us now the possibility to obtain functional tissue substitutes in the laboratory, as has been shown by our group for skin, cartilage and oral mucosa; these substitutes are viable alternatives to grafts and transplants due to the fact that they are not associated with the risks and limitations of these procedures. The aim of this work was to standardize the culture conditions for the three types of corneal tissue and, to seed them in collagen scaffolds. We obtained pure, confluent cultures 5 days post-seeding. Cell morphology allowed primary identification of the cultures. Fibroblasts seeded in collagen scaffolds were seen adherent 14 days post-seeding with very little proliferation and cellular infiltration of the scaffold. RESUMEN La córnea es el tejido responsable de la mayoría del poder refractivo del ojo, lo que la convierte en una estructura vital para el adecuado funcionamiento de la visión. Las patologías de la córnea son múltiples y de diferentes etiologías; debido a las características de la cicatrización de este tejido casi todas pueden dañarla, causando alteraciones dramáticas en la refracción del paciente. En estos casos el tratamiento indicado es el transplante de espesor total o parcial. La fuente de córnea son los donantes cadavéricos, lo cual genera riesgo de infección y rechazo. Nuestro grupo ha desarrollado sustitutos de tejido conectivo mucoso y dermis artificiales que en el momento se encuentran en valoración preclínica. En este trabajo nos propusimos aplicar la metodología estandarizada, para establecer cultivos primaros de células de la córnea que luego fueron subcultivados en soportes de colágeno I e incubados. Los resultados indican la obtención de cultivos primarios de células endoteliales, células epiteliales y fibroblastos corneales 5 días post-siembra. Igualmente, que la siembra de fibroblastos en los soportes de colágeno I condujo a su adhesión a las fibras y a la formación de material eosinófilo entre las células.

The results of preclinical and finished clinical trials revealed the efficacy of antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy as antiangiogenic and antipermeability agents. The safety of single-dose intravitreal injections of different dosages has been established. Macugen has been the first approved anti-VEGF drug in the United States since December 2004 for the treatment of neo-vascular AMD. The results of the ongoing ranibizumab (Lucentis) trials that are currently running will need to compare to that observed with pegaptanib in similarly designed phase trials. In addition, the preliminary data from the bevacizumab SANA study and intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin) are promising. We are looking forward to the results of the Phase III randomized trials. Probably, the combination of anti-VEGF compounds with photodynamic therapy or intravitreal steroids may be the future management of choroidal neovascularization. This article will review the current role of anti-VEGF therapy in the management of choroidal neovascularization.

Technological advances in the field of molecular biology and especially re-combinant DNA techniques have enabled scientists to develop gene therapy techniques for the treatment of human diseases. The potential therapeutic applications of gene transfer technology are enormous. The cornea is an excellent candidate for gene therapy because of its accessibility and immune-privileged nature. Studies examining the feasibility and optimal methods for vector-mediated gene transfer to the cornea have been performed using histochemical and fluorescent marker genes. These studies have utilized various viral vectors, such as adenovirus, adeno-associated virus, retrovirus, lentivirus, and herpes simplex virus, as well as non-viral methods to transfer heterologous genes into corneal cells in vitro, in vivo and ex vivo. In this review, we will discuss viral and non-viral approaches of gene delivery into the cornea as well as the limitations of these approaches. Additionally, we will discuss some potential applications for gene-based interventions which have been analyzed in specific corneal disorders such as allograft rejection, corneal wound healing, and corneal dystrophies using experimental models.