Summary of in vitro models used in studies of diabetic corneal epithelial complications
| Model | Authors | Type | Major application | Advantages | Drawbacks |
| Cultured human epithelial cells | Yang et al16 | Primary | Diabetic keratopathy | An established cell culture system for investigating epithelial wound healing in high glucose medium. | Limited lifespan of cells. The lack of blood supply and innervation lowers clinical translatability of results. |
| Mouse corneal epithelial cell line | Yang et al16 | Cell line | Diabetic keratopathy | Allows for genetic manipulation to study mechanisms of pathogenesis. | Cells may have genetic and phenotypical differences as well as altered morphology when compared with normal corneal epithelial cells. |
| Trigeminal ganglia neuronal cells | Dai et al11 | Primary | Diabetic corneal neuropathy | A tight control of the extracellular environment ensuring a precise neuronal environment for studies. | The lack of corneal epithelial cells prevents investigation into the impact of trigeminal nerve health on wound healing. |