Rat limbal niche cells can induce transdifferentiation of oral mucosal epithelial cells into corneal epithelial-like cells in vitro.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cultivated oral mucosal epithelial cells (OMECs) are widely used in the treatment of limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) for their ocular reconstruction capability. As the most important component of the limbal microenvironment, limbal niche cells (LNCs) play a key role in the direction of stem cell differentiation. In this study, we investigated whether LNCs can induce the transdifferentiation of rat OMECs to corneal epithelial-like cells.

Methods

We isolated OMECs and LNCs from rats by dispase and collagenase, respectively, to establish a three-dimensional or Transwell coculturing system. NIH-3T3 cells and renewed LNCs were also used as feeder layers in the Transwell system to compare their ability to support the OMECs. The airlift method was used for the culture

SUBMITTER: Zhao XY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6158850 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature