According to the concept of keratin pairing defined by tissue coexpression, a 55-kD/64-kD keratin pair is a marker of "corneal-type" differentiation. Intermediate filament (IF)-enriched preparations from guinea pig and bovine corneal epithelium were analyzed, and a rabbit antiserum was generated against a 55-kD polypeptide enriched in these preparations. This antiserum generated a typical IF-li...

PURPOSE To determine if the use of pigments or adding polyvinyl pyrrolidone during the fabrication of 1-DAY ACUVUE DEFINE (AD) brand contact lenses impacts open-eye corneal swelling compared with no lens wear (NLW). METHODS A partial double-masked, randomized, bilateral crossover study was conducted in 24 Asian subjects using AD, 1-DAY ACUVUE DEFINE with Lacreon (ADL), NLW, and a control lens...

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study is to create an ex vivo model to examine the expression of major heat-shock protein (HSP) families; HSP60, HSP72, and HSP90, and heat-shock cognate 70 (HCS70) at the mRNA and protein level in differentiating corneal cells from limbal stem cells (LSC) following air exposure. METHODS Limbal biopsies taken from cadaveric normal human limbus were cultivated as exp...

Limbal epithelial stem cells may ameliorate limbal stem cell deficiency through secretion of therapeutic proteins, delivered to the cornea in a controlled manner using hydrogels. In the present study the secretome of alginate-encapsulated limbal epithelial stem cells is investigated. Conditioned medium was generated from limbal epithelial stem cells encapsulated in 1.2% (w/v) calcium alginate g...

PURPOSE To describe a simple technique of cultivating human corneal epithelial stem cells using an Epilife culture medium under serum- and feeder-free conditions. METHODS Cadaveric donor limbal corneal epithelial cells were cultured on denuded amniotic membranes using an explant technique that was free of serum and feeder cells in the Epilife medium containing a growth supplement of defined c...

PURPOSE The adult rabbit limbal basal epithelium contains corneal epithelial stem cells, which have been characterized by a negative expression of keratin-3 (K3) and a lower expression of connexin 43 (Cx43). This study was conducted to determine whether the limbal stroma dictates the plasticity of limbal and corneal epithelial differentiation. METHODS Viable epithelial sheets of the central c...

PURPOSE To compare the effects of early, mid, and late subconjunctival injection of bevacizumab on corneal neovascularization (NV) and conjunctivalization in a rabbit limbal insufficiency model. METHODS Limbal insufficiency was created surgically, and subconjunctival injections of 2.5 mg bevacizumab twice weekly for 1 month were started immediately (early group), 1 week (mid group), and 1 mon...

PURPOSE This study investigated rabbit conjunctival and corneal epithelial cells to determine if they belong to two separate lineages. METHODS Rabbit corneal, limbal, and conjunctival epithelial cells were isolated and grown in Dulbecco's minimum essential media and 20% fetal bovine serum in the presence of mitomycin-treated 3T3 feeder cells. After reaching 80% confluence, 3T3 feeder cells an...

The corneal epithelium is maintained by a small pool of tissue stem cells located at the limbus. Through certain injuries or diseases this pool of stem cells may get depleted. This leads to visual impairment. Standard treatment options include autologous or allogeneic limbal stem cell (LSC) transplantation, however graft rejection and chronic inflammation lowers the success rate over long time....

purpose: to evaluate the properties of cultured limbal stem cells for corneal surface reconstruction. methods: specimens of limbal explants were prepared from the eye bank of i.r. iran. the explants were cultured and expanded on acellular amniotic membrane for 21 days. the cultured cells were evaluated for expression of connexin 43 and keratinine k3 by immunocytochemistry and expression of k12 ...