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Updated: Jun 13, 2026
Isolation and Identification of Limbal Niche Cells
Published on: October 27, 2023
A preliminary study of mesenchymal stem cell-like cells derived from murine corneal stroma
Jian-Min Lu1, Zhong-You Zhou, Xiao-Rong Zhang
1Department of Ophthalmology, Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Ziqiang Road No. 139, Shijiazhuang, China.
Background:
Mesenchymal stem cells can be isolated from various tissues besides bone marrow and can differentiate into cells of three germ layers. Recent studies indicate that some cells in corneal stroma express stem cell markers and can also differentiate into chondrocytes and neurocytes. This study was carried out to investigate whether mesenchymal stem cells reside in the murine corneal stroma.
Methods:
Corneas of BALB/c mice were treated with collagenase digestion after the epithelium and endothelium were removed. Then the single cells were harvested and further identified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). After the immunophenotype of passage 2 corneal stroma-derived cells was analyzed by flow cytometry, attempts were made to differentiate these cells into adipocytes and osteocytes using conditioned medium. Following induction, cells were evaluated by RT-PCR, oil red O and Alizarin Red staining.
Results:
Isolated single cells were of stromal origin, not of epithelial or endothelial. Passage 2 corneal stroma-derived cells exhibited the spindle-shaped morphology and expressed CD29, CD90, CD105, and CD71; but were negative for CD34 and CD45. In addition, these cells showed the potentiality of differentiating into adipocytes and osteocytes, which was confirmed by RT-PCR and staining.
Conclusion:
This study demonstrates the presence of mesenchymal stem cell-like cells in the murine corneal stroma. Further analysis of these cells will aid elucidation of the mechanisms of some keratopathies, and these cells may be a source for bioengineering of corneal tissue and for cell-based therapeutics.
