Suppressing Pro-Apoptotic Proteins by siRNA in Corneal Endothelial Cells Protects against Cell Death.

Corneal endothelial cells (CE) are critical for the cornea's transparency. For severe corneal damage, corneal tissue transplantation is the most promising option for restoring vision. However, CE apoptotic cell death occurs during the storage of donor corneas for transplantation.

The Biocompatibility Analysis of Artificial Mucin-Like Glycopolymers.

The ocular surface is covered by a tear film consisting of an aqueous/mucin phase and a superficial lipid layer. Mucins, highly -glycosylated proteins, are responsible for lubrication and ocular surface protection. Due to contact lens wear or eye disorders, lubrication of the ocular surface can be affected.

Interleukin-13 increases the stemness of limbal epithelial stem cells cultures.

This study aimed to determine the effect of interleukin-13 (IL13) on the stemness, differentiation, proliferation, clonogenicity, and morphology of cultured limbal epithelial cells (LECs). Human limbal explants were used to culture LECs up to the second passage (P0-P2) with or without IL13 (IL13+ and IL13-, respectively). Cells were analyzed by qPCR (for the expression of ΔNp63α, BMI-1, keratin (K) 3, K7, K12, K14, K17, mucin 4, and MKI67) and immunofluorescence staining for p63α.

Discontinuous transcription of ribosomal DNA in human cells.

Numerous studies show that various genes in all kinds of organisms are transcribed discontinuously, i.e. in short bursts or pulses with periods of inactivity between them.

Interleukin-13 maintains the stemness of conjunctival epithelial cell cultures prepared from human limbal explants.

To use human limbal explants as an alternative source for generating conjunctival epithelium and to determine the effect of interleukin-13 (IL-13) on goblet cell number, mucin expression, and stemness. Human limbal explants prepared from 17 corneoscleral rims were cultured with or without IL-13 (IL-13+ and IL-13-, respectively) and followed up to passage 2 (primary culture [P0]-P2). Cells were characterized by alcian blue/periodic acid-Schiff (AB/PAS) staining (goblet cells); immunofluorescent staining for p63α (progenitor cells), Ki-67 (proliferation), MUC5AC (mucin, goblet cells), and keratin 7 (K7, conjunctival epithelial and goblet cells); and by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction for expression of the p63α (TP63), MUC5AC, MUC4 (conjunctival mucins), K3, K12 (corneal epithelial cells), and K7 genes.