title: Limbal Stromal Tissue Specific Stem Cells and Their Differentiation Potential to Corneal Epithelial Cells.
abstract: From the derivation of the first human embryonic stem (hES) cell line to the development of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells; it has become evident that tissue specific stem cells are able to differentiate into a specific somatic cell types. The understanding of key processes such as the signaling pathways and the role of the microenvironment in epidermal/epithelial development has provided important clues for the derivation of specific epithelial cell types.Various differentiation protocols/methods were used to attain specific epithelial cell types. Here, we describe in detail the procedure to follow for isolation of tissue specific stem cells, mimicking their microenvironment to attain stem cell characteristics, and their potential differentiation to corneal epithelial cells.
authors.affiliation: Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, 20 Staniford Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
authors.forename: Kishore Reddy
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Katikireddy
authors.affiliation: Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, 20 Staniford Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA. Ula_Jurkunas@meei.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Ula V
authors.initials: UV
authors.lastname: Jurkunas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D016850:Limbus Corneae / Q000166:cytology*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000166:cytology*
keywords: Corneal epithelium; Differentiation; Epidermis; Epithelial progenitor cells; Limbal stromal stem cells; Multipotent stem cells; Tissue specific stem cells