title: Anatomical location and culture of equine corneal epithelial stem cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify morphologically the locations of equine corneal epithelial stem cells (CESCs) and to culture these cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied the eyes of 12 adult thoroughbred horses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eye tissues were immunostained for two positive stem cell markers (p63, CK14) and one negative marker (CK3) to identify the locations of CESCs, so we could compare their immunostaining patterns with those of human stem cells previously reported. We compared the proliferation rates and morphological features of epithelial cells isolated from the corneal limbus and central cornea.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Undifferentiated cells expressing the same immunostaining pattern as human CESCs were present in the equine corneal limbus. Cultured epithelial cells isolated from the limbus expressed the same immunostaining pattern that CESCs show histologically, but cells isolated from the central cornea did not proliferate and could not be evaluated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Equine CESCs were localized in the epithelial basal layer of the corneal limbus, where melanocytes reside. They could be cultured without loss of their undifferentiated nature. When collecting such stem cells, it may be useful to harvest and culture corneal epithelial tissues in the limbus where melanocytes serve as an indicator of the collecting area.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Science & Pathobiology Division, Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, 321-4 Tokami-Cho, Utsunomiya-City, Tochigi Prefecture, 320-0856, Japan.
authors.forename: Hidekazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moriyama
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kasashima
authors.forename: Atsutoshi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuwano
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology*; D006736:Horses; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: corneal epithelial cells; corneal epithelium; horse; limbus; localization of corneal epithelial stem cells; stem cell