Remodeling of epithelial cells and basement membranes in a XXXX model with long-term follow-up.

@entity1 @entity267 @entity16915 @entity4206 @entity95 @entity7435 @entity2687 @entity2277 @entity6881
UNASSIGNED: The ocular surface consists of the @entity267 , conjunctiva, and the limbus that is located in the transitional zone between the @entity267 and conjunctiva. The corneal epithelial cells are generated through the mitosis of corneal epithelial stem cells in the limbus. This study investigated a @entity95 @entity2687 model prepared by the surgical @entity2687 , which express cytokeratin 12 ( @entity16915 ). After the surgery, @entity7435 -expressing conjunctival epithelium migrated onto the corneal surface and completely covered the surface, leading to neovascularization and corneal opacification. However, at 24 and 48 weeks after the surgery, @entity16915 -expressing @entity267 -like cells reappeared on the model ocular surface. These cells formed an island surrounded by invaded conjunctiva and were isolated from the limbus. Interestingly, in the 24-week model surface, a1(IV) and a2(IV) collagen chains, which are normally found in the basement membrane of the native limbus and conjunctiva, and not in the @entity267 , were continuously deposited throughout the entire basement membrane, including the basement membrane under @entity267 -like cells. By contrast, in the 48-week model surface, a1(IV) and a2(IV) collagen chains were absent from the basement membrane beneath the central part of @entity267 -like cells and were localized below the invaded conjunctiva and the transitional zone between @entity267 -like cells and the invaded conjunctiva, which had similar distribution to the native ocular basement membrane. Moreover, @entity16915 , @entity6881 , @entity4206 , @entity2277 , and a1(IV) and a2(IV) collagen chains, which are colocalized in the native limbus, were all present at the transitional zone of the 48-week model surface. Therefore, a limbus-like structure appeared to be reconstructed on the surface of the 48-week model as a stem cell niche. This study should aid in the understanding of @entity1 @entity2687 , the correlation between the epithelial cell phenotype and the composition of the basement membrane, and the epithelial stem cell niche.Laboratory Investigation advance online publication, 22 December 2014; doi:10.1038/labinvest.2014.146.
