Lacrimal Gland Repair Using Progenitor Cells.

ABSTRACT: In humans, the lacrimal gland (LG) is the primary contributor to the aqueous layer of the tear film. Production of tears in insufficient quantity or of inadequate quality may lead to aqueous-deficiency dry eye (ADDE). Currently there is no cure for ADDE. The development of strategies to reliably isolate LG stem/progenitor cells from the LG tissue brings great promise for the design of cell replacement therapies for patients with ADDE. We analyzed the therapeutic potential of epithelial progenitor cells (EPCPs) isolated from adult wild-type mouse LGs by transplanting them into the LGs of TSP -1^-/- mice, which represent a novel mouse model for ADDE. TSP-1^-/- mice are normal at birth but progressively develop a chronic form of ocular surface disease, characterized by det

SUBMITTER: Gromova A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5442743 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature