Transplanting embryonic stem cells onto damaged human corneal endothelium

AIM To investigate whether human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) could be made to attach, grow and differentiate on a human Descemet’s membrane (DM). METHODS Spontaneously differentiated hESCs were transferred onto a human corneal button with the endothelial layer removed using ocular sticks. The cells were cultured on a DM for up to 15 d. The genetically engineered hESC line expressed green fluorescent protein, which facilitated identification during the culture experiments, tissue preparation, and analysis. To detect any differentiation into human corneal endothelial-like cells, we analysed the transplanted cells by immunohistochemistry using specific antibodies. RESULTS We found transplanted cells form a single layer of cells with a hexagonal shape in the periphery of the DM. The majority of the cells were negative for octamer-binding transcription factor 4 but positive for paired box 6 protein, sodium potassium adenosine triphosphatase (NaKATPase), and Zona Occludens protein 1. In four of the 18 trials, the transplanted cells were found to express CK3, which indicates that the stem cells differentiated into corneal epithelial cells in these cases. CONCLUSION It is possible to get cells originating from hESCs to become established on a human DM, where they grow and differentiate into corneal endothelial-like cells in vitro.De Blindas Vänner, Gothenburg, and Greta Bergs Foundation, Lerum (to Charles Hanson); University of Akureyri Research Fund, the KEA Fund, and the Icelandic Council on Ageing (to Arsaell Arnarsson); and Gothenburg Medical Society, the Medical Faculty of the University of Gothenburg and the Herman Svensson Foundation (to Ulf Stenevi)Peer Reviewe

Age and sex specific prevalence of lens opacifications in Iceland

Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/OpenObjectives: Cataract is one of the most common causes for blindness in the world, though not in Iceland due to availability of cataract surgery. The aim of this study was to establish the age and sex specific prevalence of lens opacification and its severity in Iceland. Material and methods: One thousand seven hundred citizens of Reykjavik 50 years and older were randomly selected from the national population census and offered to participate in an extensive eye study. The lenses were examined on the slitlamp microscope by two experienced ophthalmologists. Three types of lens opacification were considered separately namely cortical, nuclear and posterior subcapsular and graded according to severity using the World Health Organisation protocol. Of those randomized 68.2% of persons aged 50-79 attended and 35.8% of those 80 years and older. A total of 1045 persons; 461 males and 584 females, were examined. Results: The percentage of persons with clear lenses decreased rapidly with increasing age. Of subjects age 50-59 years 45% had clear lenses, 24% of those 60-69 years and 6% of persons 70-79 year old. No subject 80 years or older was found to have a clear lens. Concurrent with this increase in the prevalence, there was an increase in severity of lens opacification. Opacification of the cortex was most common or 67%. There was a strong correlation between opacification in one eye and opacification in the contralateral eye or 84%. Conciusions: Lens opacification is an age-related phenomenon. Early cortical opacification is common after the age of 50 years and vision-disturbing cataract is common in persons older than 70 years. In coming years considerable increase in cataract surgery may be expected because of increase in the population 70 years and older .Tilgangur: Ský á augasteini (cataract) er algengur sjúkdómur og ein helsta ástæða blindu í heiminum, einkum í þróunarlöndum. Tilgangur rannsóknarinnar var að kanna algengi, aldurs og kyndreifingu skýjunar á augasteini. Efniviður og aðferðir: Sautján hundruð Reykvíkingar 50 ára og eldri voru valdir með slembiúrtaki úr þjóðskrá og boðið að taka þátt í yfirgripsmikilli augnrannsókn. Eitt þúsund fjörutíu og fimm einstaklingar, 461 karl og 584 konur mættu til skoðunar. Það voru 68,2% slembiúrtaksins 50-79 ára og 35,8% slembiúrtaksins 80 ára og eldri. Augasteinar voru skoðaðir með raufarsmásjá af tveimur reyndum augnlæknum og skýjun flokkuð eftir tegundum, það er staðsetningu í berki, kjarna eða afturhýði. Einnig var flokkað eftir því á hve háu stigi sjúkdómurinn var, samkvæmt flokkunarkerfi Alþjóðaheilbrigðisstofnunarinnar. Niðurstöður: Hlutfall þeirra sem höfðu tæran augastein fór ört lækkandi með vaxandi aldri; í aldurshópnum 50-59 ára voru 45% með engar skýjanir, 24% fólks 60-69 ára og 6% þeirra sem voru á aldrinum 70-79 ára. Enginn 80 ára og eldri var með tæran augastein. Samhliða jókst styrkleikastig skýja með aldri. Algengast var að ský myndaðist í berki augasteins og voru 67% þátttakenda með slíkar breytingar. Langflestir höfðu sams konar ský á báðum augum eða 84%. Alyktanir: Ský á augasteini er aldurstengt og afar algengt eftir sjötugt. Vegna fjölgunar í elstu aldurshópum á komandi árum mun algengi augasteinsskýja aukast og aðgerðum fjölga

Age and sex specific prevalence of lens opacifications in Iceland

Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/OpenObjectives: Cataract is one of the most common causes for blindness in the world, though not in Iceland due to availability of cataract surgery. The aim of this study was to establish the age and sex specific prevalence of lens opacification and its severity in Iceland. Material and methods: One thousand seven hundred citizens of Reykjavik 50 years and older were randomly selected from the national population census and offered to participate in an extensive eye study. The lenses were examined on the slitlamp microscope by two experienced ophthalmologists. Three types of lens opacification were considered separately namely cortical, nuclear and posterior subcapsular and graded according to severity using the World Health Organisation protocol. Of those randomized 68.2% of persons aged 50-79 attended and 35.8% of those 80 years and older. A total of 1045 persons; 461 males and 584 females, were examined. Results: The percentage of persons with clear lenses decreased rapidly with increasing age. Of subjects age 50-59 years 45% had clear lenses, 24% of those 60-69 years and 6% of persons 70-79 year old. No subject 80 years or older was found to have a clear lens. Concurrent with this increase in the prevalence, there was an increase in severity of lens opacification. Opacification of the cortex was most common or 67%. There was a strong correlation between opacification in one eye and opacification in the contralateral eye or 84%. Conciusions: Lens opacification is an age-related phenomenon. Early cortical opacification is common after the age of 50 years and vision-disturbing cataract is common in persons older than 70 years. In coming years considerable increase in cataract surgery may be expected because of increase in the population 70 years and older .Tilgangur: Ský á augasteini (cataract) er algengur sjúkdómur og ein helsta ástæða blindu í heiminum, einkum í þróunarlöndum. Tilgangur rannsóknarinnar var að kanna algengi, aldurs og kyndreifingu skýjunar á augasteini. Efniviður og aðferðir: Sautján hundruð Reykvíkingar 50 ára og eldri voru valdir með slembiúrtaki úr þjóðskrá og boðið að taka þátt í yfirgripsmikilli augnrannsókn. Eitt þúsund fjörutíu og fimm einstaklingar, 461 karl og 584 konur mættu til skoðunar. Það voru 68,2% slembiúrtaksins 50-79 ára og 35,8% slembiúrtaksins 80 ára og eldri. Augasteinar voru skoðaðir með raufarsmásjá af tveimur reyndum augnlæknum og skýjun flokkuð eftir tegundum, það er staðsetningu í berki, kjarna eða afturhýði. Einnig var flokkað eftir því á hve háu stigi sjúkdómurinn var, samkvæmt flokkunarkerfi Alþjóðaheilbrigðisstofnunarinnar. Niðurstöður: Hlutfall þeirra sem höfðu tæran augastein fór ört lækkandi með vaxandi aldri; í aldurshópnum 50-59 ára voru 45% með engar skýjanir, 24% fólks 60-69 ára og 6% þeirra sem voru á aldrinum 70-79 ára. Enginn 80 ára og eldri var með tæran augastein. Samhliða jókst styrkleikastig skýja með aldri. Algengast var að ský myndaðist í berki augasteins og voru 67% þátttakenda með slíkar breytingar. Langflestir höfðu sams konar ský á báðum augum eða 84%. Alyktanir: Ský á augasteini er aldurstengt og afar algengt eftir sjötugt. Vegna fjölgunar í elstu aldurshópum á komandi árum mun algengi augasteinsskýja aukast og aðgerðum fjölga