The role of limbal melanocytes in interaction between limbal stem cells and melanocytes

• Project/Area Number: 20791276
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Ophthalmology
• Research Institution: Keio University
• Principal Investigator: KAWASHIMA Motoko Keio University, 医学部, 助教 (00327610)
• Project Period (FY): 2008 – 2009
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2009)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000); Fiscal Year 2009: ¥2,210,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥510,000); Fiscal Year 2008: ¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000)
• Keywords: 再生医学 / 外科 / 細胞組織

Research Abstract

On the ocular surfaces, limbal epithelial stem cells are maintained in undifferentiated and quiescent state in specialized microenvironment termed stem cell niche. To demonstrate the melanocytes are the one of the niche of limbal stem cells, at first we established the isolation and cultivated methods of limbal melanocytes, and performed co-culture of corneal epithelial cells and melanocytes in various conditions.