title: [Down-regulation of Pax6 in pterygial epithelium].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the expression of Pax6 in pterygia epithelium.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen patients (15 eyes) with pterygium who underwent simple excision were enrolled in this study. Pax6, K10, K19 and MUC5AC immunostaining were performed in pterygia tissue and normal conjunctiva.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A decline or absence of Pax6 expression and K19 keratin and MUC5AC but increased of K10 expression with epidermal differentiation was observed in pterygia epithelium, in comparison with the normal conjunctival tissue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that down-regulation of Pax6 is associated with abnormal differentiation of the epithelial cells in pterygium.
authors.affiliation: Eye Institute and affiliated Xiamen Eye Center of Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
authors.forename: Nuo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Huping
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wensheng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhaosheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yangluowa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Zuguo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D003228:Conjunctiva; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D004848:Epithelium; D006801:Humans; D011625:Pterygium / Q000378:metabolism