title: Limbal fibroblast conditioned media: a non-invasive treatment for limbal stem cell deficiency.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Limbal fibroblasts are known to regulate the maintenance and differentiation of the corneal epithelium including the limbal epithelial stem cells. This study examined the effect of limbal fibroblast conditioned media in a mouse model of limbal stem cell deficiency.
  
  
  METHODS
  Limbal stem cell deficiency was created in C57/Bl6 mice by performing a limbus to limbus epithelial debridement. The mice were treated topically for 3 weeks with conditioned media derived from human limbal fibroblasts. The control mice were treated with skin fibroblast conditioned media or Dulbecco's serum-free medium.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mice treated with limbal fibroblast conditioned media demonstrated substantial growth of corneal type epithelial cells on the corneal surface with less conjunctival goblet cells. By contrast, the control treated corneas were found to be covered primarily by conjunctival type epithelium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cell culture media conditioned by limbal fibroblasts appear to contain factor(s) that are therapeutically beneficial in a model of limbal stem cell deficiency. The current results further support the notion that the essential limbal stem cell niche is provided by limbal fibroblasts and suggest a new, non-invasive option in the treatment of limbal stem cell deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Amirjamshidi
authors.forename: B Y
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Milani
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Sagha
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Movahedan
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Shafiq
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Lavker
authors.forename: B Y T
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Djalilian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D053551:Keratin-12 / Q000378:metabolism; D053533:Keratin-8 / Q000378:metabolism; D016850:Limbus Corneae / Q000473:pathology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D053551:Keratin-12; D053533:Keratin-8