Identification of neural crest-derived stem cell-like cells from the corneal limbus of juvenile mice

Neural crest stem cells: discovery, properties and potential for therapy

“…Furthermore, COPs have the ability to differentiate into keratocytes, fibroblasts, and myofibroblasts and when induced they can also differentiate into adipocytes, chondrocytes, and neural cells thus demonstrating their multipotency [43]. A similar cell population was isolated from the juvenile mouse cornea showing analogous characteristics of NC-derived progenitors such as self-renewal and multipotency [44]. One discrepancy, however, was the inability of the latter study to isolate NC-derived progenitor cells from adult corneas as opposed to the former study.…”

“…Multipotent NC progenitors have also been found in the postnatal and adult mouse cornea [43,44]. The cornea is the transparent tissue in the front part of the eye that transmits and refracts light to the retina.…”

“…One discrepancy, however, was the inability of the latter study to isolate NC-derived progenitor cells from adult corneas as opposed to the former study. A possible explanation is that different progenitor populations may exist in the cornea before (juvenile) and after (adult) the eyelid opens; however, it could also be due just to technical differences in the isolation processes [44].…”

A preliminary study of mesenchymal stem cell-like cells derived from murine corneal stroma

“…Du et al [23] and Yoshida et al [24] have shown that cells derived from human or murine corneal stroma express stem cell marker ABCG2 and can differentiate into chondrocytes and neurocytes. More recently, Brandl et al [25] isolated some Scal + cells from the corneal limbus of juvenile mice, and further differentiated these cells into adipocytes, osteoblasts, and neuronal cells. However, all of these studies referred above adopted serum-containing medium to culture primary cells.…”

Neural crest-derived stem cells

“…Yoshida and colleagues reported that neural crest-derived cells isolated from adult mouse cornea express the neural crest markers Twist, Snail, Slug and Sox9 and have the potential to differentiate into neurons, adipocytes, and chondrocytes (Yoshida et al, 2006). In contrast, Brandl et al were able to establish a neural crest-derived cell line with adipogenic, osteogenic, chondrogenic, and neuronal potential only from neonatal, but not adult mouse cornea (Brandl et al, 2009). Possibly, the discrepancy between the two studies could be due to differential contribution of anterior eye structures to the cell preparations analyzed.…”