title: Retinoic Acid Enhances the Differentiation of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells to Keratocytes In Vitro.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  All-trans retinoic acid (RA) supplementation was investigated as a method of enhancing the differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) to corneal keratocytes in vitro, in combination with a chemically defined serum-free medium.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adipose-derived stem cells were cultured in monolayer and supplemented with 0.1, 1, or 10 μM RA for 14 days. The effects of RA on cell proliferation, migration, and extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation were evaluated. In addition, the expression of phenotypic keratocyte markers was examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR), immunocytochemistry, and Western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adipose-derived stem cells cultured with RA showed improved cell proliferation and ECM production. In addition, RA enhanced the expression of keratocyte-specific markers, keratocan, aldehyde dehydrogenase 3A1, lumican, and decorin, when compared to serum-free media alone. Furthermore, the presence of RA increased the amount of collagen type I while reducing the expression of fibrotic marker,α-smooth muscle actin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate that RA is a useful supplement for promoting a keratocyte phenotype in ASC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study is particularly important for the generation of biological corneal substitutes and next generation cell based therapies for corneal conditions.
authors.affiliation: Trinity Centre for Bioengineering, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, ; Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, School of Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Amy P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.affiliation: Trinity Centre for Bioengineering, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland, ; Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, School of Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahearne
keywords: differentiation; keratocytes; retinoic acid; stem cells