2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Analysis of limbal epithelial tiny cells contact with limbal niche like cells
Project/Area Number |
24592646
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Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
Section | 一般 |
Research Field |
Ophthalmology
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Research Institution | Tokyo Dental College (2013-2014) Keio University (2012) |
Principal Investigator |
HIGA Kazunari 東京歯科大学, 歯学部, 助教 (60398782)
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Project Period (FY) |
2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
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Keywords | 角膜上皮幹細胞 |
Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Stem cells have a specialized microenvironment for maintaining self-renewal and multipotent capacities. It is believed that a cornea epithelial stem cell niche exists in the limbus. We presented that aquaporin 1 positive (AQP1+) cells immediately beneath epithelial basement membrane may be mesenchymal niche cells that directly interact with N-cadherin positive (N-cad+) limbal basal epithelial cells. To establish a cultivation method the limbal epithelial stem cells niche in vitro, we performed spheroidal cultivation of Tiny cells from the human limbus using Matirgel. Keratin (K) 15 and p63 were expressed in the spheroid after 1-month cultivation, as well as in epithelial sheets engineered form a single spheroid. K15 and p63 were expressed in the edge of spheroids after 1-month cultivation under hypoxia. In addition, N-cadherin was expressed in epithelial spheroid under hypoxia.
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Free Research Field |
眼科学
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