Do transplanted corneal limbal stem cells survive in vivo long-term? Possible techniques to detect donor cell survival by polymerase chain reaction with the amelogenin gene and Y-specific probes.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate donor cell survival following corneal limbal stem cell grafting, which is based on the corneal stem cell model.


METHODS
We describe the use of the amelogenin gene probe with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect surviving donor cells and report preliminary studies using Y-specific DNA probes.


CONCLUSIONS
DNA polymorphisms have a detection limit of 10%. The SRY 'Y-specific' probe has a theoretical detection limit of 1 cell in 10,000. The techniques were applied to investigate survival of male donor cells in an aniridic female patient 2 1/2 years following limbal stem cell grafts. We speculate that low levels of donor-derived cells may still be present. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the two approaches, which may have future clinical and experimental application.
Henderson
T R
TR
Department of Ophthalmology, General Infirmary at Leeds, UK.
McCall
S H
SH
Taylor
G R
GR
Noble
B A
BA
D053523:Amelogenin; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000235:genetics; D016039:Corneal Transplantation; D015342:DNA Probes; D003746:Dental Enamel Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014998:Y Chromosome
D053523:Amelogenin; D015342:DNA Probes; D003746:Dental Enamel Proteins