title: A standard strain of human ocular keratocytes.
abstract: The ability of an injured cornea to regenerate from deep tissue trauma is largely due to wound healing processes mediated by the surviving stromal keratocytes. Despite the importance of the wound healing process, and the ease with which keratocytes can be grown in tissue culture, a standardised strain of the cells has never been made available. Accordingly, this study reports a strain of human embryonic keratocytes, designated EK1.BR as a research tool for the ophthalmic community. EK1.BR has been characterised with respect to life-span, fraction of dividing cells and maintenance of a keratocyte phenotype in culture. It is hoped that these cells will prove useful in the in vitro study of stromal wound healing and the characterisation of keratocyte gene expression.
authors.affiliation: Ocular Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, University of Brighton, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dropcova
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Denyer
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Lloyd
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Gard
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Hanlon
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Mikhalovsky
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sandeman
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Olliff
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Faragher
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000626:Aminopeptidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004152:Dipeptidyl-Peptidases and Tripeptidyl-Peptidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020689:Exopeptidases; D005333:Fetus; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000201:enzymology; D063208:Methionyl Aminopeptidases; D008938:Mitosis; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014019:Tissue Donors; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004247:DNA; D001616:beta-Galactosidase; D020689:Exopeptidases; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D000626:Aminopeptidases; D063208:Methionyl Aminopeptidases; D004152:Dipeptidyl-Peptidases and Tripeptidyl-Peptidases; C100151:dipeptidyl peptidase II