Corneal stem cells and their origins: significance in developmental biology.
Adult corneal stem cells (SCs) have been the subject of substantial research over the past 2 decades, with promising clinical applications being devised, refined, and tried. However, there have been few studies on the early development of these cells in humans, perhaps due to ethical and practical constraints. This review highlights work that has yielded significant insights from developmental studies in the cornea and other SC repositories. This field merits further research to improve our current knowledge of the origin of SCs, their location, phenotype, function, and niche structure, as well as providing fresh insight into the pathogenesis of congenital diseases and new therapeutic avenues for treating a range of blinding corneal diseases.
Davies
Sarah B
SB
Department of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, Inflammation and Infection Research Centre, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Di Girolamo
Nick
N
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D003315:Cornea / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D015509:Developmental Biology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D005333:Fetus / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D055153:Stem Cell Niche; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*
D015415:Biomarkers