title: Stem potentialities of the human iris - An in situ immunohistochemical study.
abstract: According to recent findings multiple human tissues harbor stem cells which, in turn, have different levels of stemness. We performed an immunohistochemical study on paraffin-embedded samples to test if the in situ stromal cells of the iris of the human eye (EI) have immune stem/progenitor phenotypes. Eviscerated post-traumatic eyes from eight patients were studied. These irises were found to contain fibroblastoid stromal cells with a CD34+/CD45+/CD105+/CD117+/DOG1+/PDGFR-α+/vimentin+/nestin-/collagen III- phenotype. These were assumed to be possible stem/progenitor cells involved in physiological processes of iridial stromal maintenance. All the vascular endothelia were CD34+/CD105+/vimentin+. Newly formed nestin+ endothelia were also found; this finding was supported by evidence of filopodia-projecting CD34+ endothelial tip cells, which demonstrated active processes of sprouting angiogenesis. The phenotype of the stromal cells also suggests a role of the circulating fibrocytes in iridial regenerative processes.
authors.affiliation: Division of Anatomy, Faculty of Dental Medicine, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Alexandra Diana
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Vrapciu
authors.affiliation: Division of Anatomy, Faculty of Dental Medicine, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania; MEDCENTER, Center of Excellence in Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Bucharest, Romania; International Society of Regenerative Medicine and Surgery (ISRMS), Romania. Electronic address: anatomon@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mugurel Constantin
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Rusu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosalia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leonardi
authors.affiliation: Division of Ophthalmology, S.C.U.O., Faculty of Medicine, "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania; Clinical Hospital of Ophthalmologic Emergencies (S.C.U.O.), Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Catalina Gabriela
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Corbu
mesh_terms: D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007498:Iris / Q000166:cytology*; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
keywords: Angiogenesis; Circulating fibrocytes; Fibroblasts; Iris; Progenitor cells; Stem cells