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NOVOSIBIRSK, November 9Novosibirsk scientists are developing a new type of treatment for blinding diseases of the cornea using cellular technologies, reported Novosibirsk State University (NSU), whose employee is part of a group of scientists.
“”Diseases of the cornea of the eye lead to gradual deterioration and loss of vision. This pathology very often affects patients of young working age. In severe forms of the disease, transplantation of donor material is often used, but there is not enough of it. There are a number of difficulties associated with handling donor material. Currently, a large number of people in need of this treatment are on the waiting list,” said Christina Krasner, an ophthalmologist at the NSU Medical Research Center and Eye Microsurgery MNTK.
She explained that during laser vision correction operations using the ReLEx method SMILE scientists have isolated cells from the stromal part of the cornea of a healthy eye – lenticules – which, after several manipulations, can be used for therapeutic purposes, in particular, for the treatment of patients with lesions of the cornea of the eye.
“We were able to increase two populations of cells – fibroblasts and keratocytes – and evaluate their potential therapeutic effect in vitro. The next step was to create a model of corneal opacification in the animal eye. We divided the experimental organisms into four groups – one was injected with keratocytes, the second – fibroblasts, two were controls. “It turned out that in models with the introduction of a cell suspension of both keratocytes and fibroblasts, there is a clear tendency towards the most rapid restoration of transparency and thickness of the cornea. Therefore, we expect and predict a similar effect in humans,” Krasner added.
Now the experiments are in their final stages – scientists are awaiting the results of a histological study to describe the underlying mechanisms occurring between cells and the intercellular substance, which may also have a therapeutic effect. The scientific project is being implemented with the support of the Russian Science Foundation (RSF), the state university added.
The possibility of creating a new type of therapy for complex diseases of the cornea of the eye is being investigated by specialists from the Novosibirsk branch of the Eye Microsurgery MNTK named after Academician S. N. Fedorov. together with the Research Institute of Clinical and Experimental Lymphology (branch of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS).
The scientific leaders of the project were the director of the Novosibirsk branch of the Federal State Institution “National Medical Research Center” MNTK “Eye Microsurgery” named after Academician S.N. Fedorov” of the Ministry of Health of Russia Valery Chernykh and head of the laboratory of cell technologies of the Institute of Clinical and Experimental Lymphology Olga Poveshchenko.
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