Open AccessLimbal niche cells are a potent resource of adult mesenchymal progenitors
Author(s) -
Guo Ping,
Sun Hong,
Zhang Yuan,
Tighe Sean,
Chen Shuangling,
Su ChenWei,
Liu Yongsong,
Zhao Hongxia,
Hu Min,
Zhu Yingting
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of cellular and molecular medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.44
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1582-4934
pISSN - 1582-1838
DOI - 10.1111/jcmm.13635
Subject(s) - mesenchymal stem cell , homeobox protein nanog , sox2 , microbiology and biotechnology , stem cell , biology , progenitor cell , niche , nestin , embryonic stem cell , induced pluripotent stem cell , neural stem cell , biochemistry , gene , ecology
Limbal niche cells located in the limbal Palisades of Vogt are mesenchymal stem cells that reside next to limbal basal epithelial cells. Limbal niche cells are progenitors that express embryonic stem cell markers such as Nanog, Nestin, Oct4, Rex1, Sox2 and SSEA 4, mesenchymal cell markers such as CD 73, CD 90 and CD 105, and angiogenesis markers such as Flk‐1, CD 31, CD 34, VWF , PDGFR β and α‐ SMA , but negative for CD 45. In addition, the stemness of limbal niche cells can be maintained during their cell culture in a three‐dimension environment. Furthermore, expanded limbal niche cells have the capability to undergo adipogenesis, chondrogenesis, osteogenesis and endogenesis in vitro, indicating that they are in fact a valuable resource of adult progenitors. Furthermore studies on how the limbal niche cells regulate the aforementioned stemness and corneal fate decision are warranted, as those investigations will shed new light on how mesenchymal progenitors reverse limbal stem cell deficiency and lead to new methods for limbal niche cell treatment.