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The presence of cells with stem cell markers and characteristics in the central cornea of the mouse
Author(s) -
HOLAN V,
POKORNA K,
KRULOVA M,
LENCOVA A,
ZAJICOVA A,
JIRSOVA K,
FILIPEC M,
FORRESTER JV
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2010.345.x
Subject(s) - cornea , biology , stem cell marker , stem cell , immunohistochemistry , corneal epithelium , abcg2 , cell sorting , phenotype , population , microbiology and biotechnology , pathology , flow cytometry , immunology , medicine , gene , genetics , atp binding cassette transporter , transporter , environmental health , neuroscience
Purpose Purpose. To assess the distribution of cells with stem cell (SC) markers and characteristics in the limbus and central cornea of the mouse. Methods Methods. The limbal tissue and the central part of corneas were separately dissected from the eyes of BALB/c mice. The expression of genes for SC markers ABCG2, p63 and Lgr5, limbal cell markers K19 and integrin alfa9, and cornea‐associated differentiation markers K12 and connexin 43 was determined by PCR and immunohistochemistry. Flow cytometry was used for cell sorting and characterization of the side population (SP) phenotype. Results Results. A strong expression of genes for the SC markers ABCG2 and p63 was detected in the central cornea of the mouse. The markers specific for limbal tissue, K19 and integrin alfa9, were expressed predominantly in the limbus, while the cytokeratin K12 and connexin 43 were detected in the central cornea. A significant number of cells exhibiting the SP phenotype was detected in both limbus and central cornea, but the SP phenotype did not correlate with the expression of ABCG2 or p63. ABCG2+ cells were detected in both SP and non‐SP cells. Immunohistochemistry and PCR analysis revealed the presence of ABCG2+ and p63+ cells in all corneal layers with the strongest expression of SC markers in the epithelium. Conclusion Conclusion. A high frequency of cells expressing SC markers and characteristics can be detected in the central cornea of the mouse. The mouse cornea thus exhibits an SC distribution distinct from the human or rabbit cornea.