title: Derivation of Corneal Keratocyte-Like Cells from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.
abstract: Corneal diseases such as keratoconus represent a relatively common disorder in the human population. However, treatment is restricted to corneal transplantation, which only occurs in the most advanced cases. Cell based therapies may offer an alternative approach given that the eye is amenable to such treatments and corneal diseases like keratoconus have been associated specifically with the death of corneal keratocytes. The ability to generate corneal keratocytes in vitro may enable a cell-based therapy to treat patients with keratoconus. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) offer an abundant supply of cells from which any cell in the body can be derived. In the present study, hiPSCs were successfully differentiated into neural crest cells (NCCs), the embryonic precursor to keratocytes, and then cultured on cadaveric corneal tissue to promote keratocyte differentiation. The hiPSC-derived NCCs were found to migrate into the corneal stroma where they acquired a keratocyte-like morphology and an expression profile similar to corneal keratocytes in vivo. These results indicate that hiPSCs can be used to generate corneal keratocytes in vitro and lay the foundation for using these cells in cornea cell-based therapies.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
authors: Richard W
authors: RW
authors: Naylor
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
authors: Charles N J
authors: CN
authors: McGhee
authors: Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States of America.
authors: Chad A
authors: CA
authors: Cowan
authors: Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
authors: Alan J
authors: AJ
authors: Davidson
authors: Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States of America.
authors: Teresa M
authors: TM
authors: Holm
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
authors: Trevor
authors: T
authors: Sherwin
mesh_terms: D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002460:Cell Line; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D060527:Corneal Keratocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D057026:Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D007498:Iris / Q000166:cytology; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000166:cytology; D010641:Phenotype
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen