title: Progenitors for the corneal endothelium and trabecular meshwork: a potential source for personalized stem cell therapy in corneal endothelial diseases and glaucoma.
abstract: Several adult stem cell types have been found in different parts of the eye, including the corneal epithelium, conjunctiva, and retina. In addition to these, there have been accumulating evidence that some stem-like cells reside in the transition area between the peripheral corneal endothelium (CE) and the anterior nonfiltering portion of the trabecular meshwork (TM), which is known as the Schwalbe's Ring region. These stem/progenitor cells may supply new cells for the CE and TM. In fact, the CE and TM share certain similarities in terms of their embryonic origin and proliferative capacity in vivo. In this paper, we discuss the putative stem cell source which has the potential for replacement of lost and nonfunctional cells in CE diseases and glaucoma. The future development of personalized stem cell therapies for the CE and TM may reduce the requirement of corneal grafts and surgical treatments in glaucoma.
authors.affiliation: Eye Institute, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Wing Yan
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sheridan
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Grierson
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kearns
authors.forename: Amy Cheuk Yin
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy / Q000379:methods; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D014129:Trabecular Meshwork / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism