TY - JOUR
T1 - Existence of slow-cycling limbal epithelial basal cells that can be preferentially stimulated to proliferate
T2 - Implications on epithelial stem cells
AU - Cotsarelis, George
AU - Cheng, Shih Zen
AU - Dong, Gang
AU - Sun, Tung Tien
AU - Lavker, Robert M.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by NIH grants EY06769 (R. M. L.) and EY4722 (T.-T S.). T.-T. S. is the recipient of a Monique Weill-Caulier career scientist award.
PY - 1989/4/21
Y1 - 1989/4/21
N2 - Despite the obvious importance of epithelial stem cells in tissue homeostasis and tumorigenesis, little is known about their specific location or biological characteristics. Using 3H-thymidine labeling, we have identified a subpopulation of corneal epithelial basal cells, located in the peripheral cornea in a region called limbus, that are normally slow cycling, but can be stimulated to proliferate in response to wounding and to a tumor promotor, TPA. No such cells can be detected in the central corneal epithelium, suggesting that corneal epithelial stem cells are located in the limbus. A comparison of various types of epithelial stem cells revealed a common set of features, including their preferred location, pigment protection, and growth properties, which presumably play a crucial role in epithelial stem cell function.
AB - Despite the obvious importance of epithelial stem cells in tissue homeostasis and tumorigenesis, little is known about their specific location or biological characteristics. Using 3H-thymidine labeling, we have identified a subpopulation of corneal epithelial basal cells, located in the peripheral cornea in a region called limbus, that are normally slow cycling, but can be stimulated to proliferate in response to wounding and to a tumor promotor, TPA. No such cells can be detected in the central corneal epithelium, suggesting that corneal epithelial stem cells are located in the limbus. A comparison of various types of epithelial stem cells revealed a common set of features, including their preferred location, pigment protection, and growth properties, which presumably play a crucial role in epithelial stem cell function.
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U2 - 10.1016/0092-8674(89)90958-6
DO - 10.1016/0092-8674(89)90958-6
M3 - Article
C2 - 2702690
AN - SCOPUS:0024523631
SN - 0092-8674
VL - 57
SP - 201
EP - 209
JO - Cell
JF - Cell
IS - 2
ER -