Oral epithelial cells transplanted on to corneal surface tend to adapt to the ocular phenotype |
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| Authors: | Subhash Gaddipati R Muralidhar Virender S Sangwan Indumathi Mariappan Geeta K Vemuganti Dorairajan Balasubramanian |
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| Affiliation: | 1.Sudhakar and Sreekanth Ravi Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India;2.Cornea and Anterior Segment Services, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India;3.Ophthalmic Pathology Laboratory, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India;4.Prof Brien Holden Eye Research Centre, Hyderabad Eye Research Foundation, C-TRACER, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India |
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| Abstract: | To understand the response of oral epithelial cells, transplanted on corneal surface to the ocular cues in vivo. The corneal button obtained after penetrating keratoplasty (PK) of an eye of a patient with total limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD), previously treated with cultured oral mucosal epithelial transplantation (COMET) was examined by immunohistochemistry for the expression of keratins, p63, p75, PAX6, Ki-67, CD31, and CD34. COMET followed by optical-PK has improved visual acuity to 20/40 and rendered a stable ocular surface. The excised corneal tissue showed the presence of stratified epithelium with vasculatures. The epithelial cells of the corneal button expressed K3, K19, Ki-67, p63, p75 and the cornea-specific PAX6 and K12. This study confirms that the oral cells, transplanted to corneal surface, survive and stably reconstruct the ocular surface. They maintain their stemness at the ectopic site and acquire some of the corneal epithelial-like characters. |
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| Keywords: | bilateral LCSD eye limbal stem cell deficiency oral mucosa |
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