Characterization of ex vivo cultured limbal, conjunctival, and oral mucosal cells: A comparative study with implications in transplantation medicine.

Abstract

In conclusion, the limbal epithelial cultures showed higher expression of proliferative, limbal stem cell marker, Notch signaling, and autophagy markers suggesting a role in stem cell maintenance and differentiation. This implicates the probable factors that might drive a successful transplantation. Our findings provide the initial steps toward understanding transplantation medicine in an ex vivo model.