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Restoration of keratocyte cell phenotype through epithelial-stromal cell interactions in a 3D hydrogel model [abstract]

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journal contribution
posted on 2017-10-06, 09:24 authored by Sammy WilsonSammy Wilson, Ying Yang, Alicia J. El Haj
PURPOSE. In vivo, epithelial cells are connected both anatomically and functionally with stromal keratocytes. In vitro co-culturing aims to recapture this cellular anatomy and functionality by bringing together two or more cell types within the same culture environment. The aim of this study was to investigate epithelial-stromal cell signalling for the control of corneal stromal cell plasticity in 3D culture models. METHODS. Corneal stromal cells were activated to their injury phenotype (fibroblasts) before being encapsulated in 3D collagen hydrogels. 3 different epithelial-stromal co-culture methods were then examined; epithelial explant; transwell; the use of conditioned media. Using non-destructive monitoring tools we revealed how epithelial co-culturing affects stromal cell differentiation in terms of construct contraction and elastic modulus measurements in a 3D collagen hydrogel environment for prolonged culture periods. Cell viability, phenotype, morphology and protein expression was investigated to corroborate our mechanical findings. RESULTS. It was shown that activated stromal cells retain their plasticity in vitro. Activated corneal stromal cells that were fibroblastic in phenotype were successfully reverted to a non-activated keratocyte cell lineage in terms of behaviour and biological properties; and then back again via TGF-β1 media supplementation. It was then revealed that epithelial-stromal interactions can be blocked via the use of wortmannin inhibition. CONCLUSION. A greater understanding of stromal-epithelial interactions and what mediates them offers great pharmacological potential in the regulation of corneal wound healing, with the potential to treat corneal diseases and injury whereby such interactions are vital.

History

School

  • Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering

Published in

Acta Ophthalmologica

Volume

91

Pages

0 - 0

Citation

WILSON, S., YANG, Y. and EL HAJ, A., 2013. Restoration of keratocyte cell phenotype through epithelial-stromal cell interactions in a 3D hydrogel model [abstract]. Acta Ophthalmologica, 91, S252, DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2013.2471.x.

Publisher

John Wiley & Sons (© Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation)

Version

  • AM (Accepted Manuscript)

Publisher statement

This work is made available according to the conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) licence. Full details of this licence are available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Publication date

2013

Notes

Presented at: 2015 European Association for Vision and Eye Research Conference (EVER 2013), Nice, France, 18-21 September 2013. This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: WILSON, S., YANG, Y. and EL HAJ, A., 2013. Restoration of keratocyte cell phenotype through epithelial-stromal cell interactions in a 3D hydrogel model [abstract]. Acta Ophthalmologica, 91, S252, which has been published in final form at: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-3768.2013.2471.x. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.

ISSN

1755-375X

Language

  • en

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