Background: The limited characterization of equine skin, eye and hoof epithelial stem cell (ESC) and differentiation markers impedes the investigation of the physiology and pathophysiology of these tissues.
Hypothesis/objectives: To characterize ESC and differentiation marker expression in epithelial tissues of the equine eye, haired skin and hoof capsule.
Methods: Indirect immunofluorescence microscopy and immunoblotting were used to detect expression and tissue localization of keratin (K) isoforms K3, K10, K14 and K124, the transcription factor p63 (a marker of ESCs) and phosphorylated p63 [pp63; a marker of ESC transition to transit-amplifying (TA) cell] in epithelial tissues of the foot (haired skin, hoof coronet and hoof lamellae) and the eye (limbus and cornea).