title: The culture of limbal stromal cells and corneal endothelial cells.
abstract: The cornea is the transparent front part of the eye and comprises three distinct cell layers. One of these cell layers is a self-renewing epithelium long believed to harbor a resident stem cell population. The location and characteristics of corneal epithelial stem cells have now been confirmed by several research groups, and these cells are currently applied therapeutically. The corneal stroma and endothelium are largely quiescent after infancy, and until recently they were not considered to undergo self-renewal or to maintain stem cells. This view was overturned during the last two decades. At present, cell populations with characteristics of adult stem cells are routinely isolated and characterized from the limbal stroma and the corneal -endothelium. This chapter describes methods for isolation and culture of limbal stromal cells and corneal endothelial cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Naresh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Polisetti
authors.forename: Nancy C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Joyce
mesh_terms: D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000166:cytology; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D016850:Limbus Corneae / Q000166:cytology; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology*