Influence of fluid shear stress on human limbal epithelial cells

Limbal epithelial cells (LECs) have a crucial role in the maintenance of the corneal surface by migrating from the limbus to the cornea and replacing corneal epithelial cells. These cells are subjected to shear stress via blinking and tear film movement but the influence this stress has on the cells is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to examine how fluidic shear stress can affect the behaviour of LECs from different donors.

A commercial fluid flow system (ibidi) was used to apply fluid shear at two different flow rates, with no flow being used as a control. Cells from three different donors were examined for phenotype, stratification, TRPV4 activation, cell adhesion and barrier function.

Both low and high shear stresses resulted in changes to the cell phenotype and these changes were highly donor dependent. Expression of TRPV4, a mechanosensitive ion-channel, was up-regulated for all donors exposed to shear stress. Stratification of cells only occurred with cells exposed to shear stress.

This study show the importance of shear stress on modulating the behaviour of LECs and how donor to donor variations and the heterogeneity of cell populations need to be considered when conducting cell based studies.