In vivo confocal microscopic features of normal limbus

Miri, Ammar; Al-aqaba, Muhamed; Otri, Ahmad Muneer; Fares, Usama; Said, Dalia G.; Faraj, Lana A; Dua, Harminder S.

doi:10.1136/bjophthalmol-2011-300550

Cited by 50 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 15 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…The presence of unique hyperreflective clusters subjacent to the limbal basal epithelium were observed in the anterior limbal stroma and surrounding blood vessels at deeper layers (Figure 2). Similar non-homogenous hyperreflective structures can be seen in the limbal stroma towards the corneal side in the montage pictures in earlier reports 5,6 ; however, they were not described. Similarly, the stromal cords in between the basal epithelium of POV as reported by others 6,7,18 are comparable to the hyperreflective linear strands, described in the present study (Figure 3).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 48%

“…17 Our IVCM analysis of the corneal and limbal epithelium ( Figure 1, Table 1) confirmed earlier reports on the cell size and density. 5,6 Our study added data regarding the thickness of the corneal and limbal epithelial layers (Table 1).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…IVCM examination-IVCM examination of central cornea and superior limbus was performed using the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph III (HRT III) with Rostock Corneal Module (RCM) (Heidelberg Engineering, Germany), after anesthetizing the eye with 0.5% proparacaine ophthalmic solution (Aurocaine, Aurolab, Madurai) as described earlier. 6 GenTeal gel (Novartis India Limited, Mumbai) was used as a coupling agent between the applanating lens cap (TomoCap, Heidelberg Engineering, Germany) and the HRTIII RCM. During acquisition of images, the subjects were instructed to focus on the instrument's red light fixation that was moved until the eye was in the imaging axis of RCM.…”

Section: In Vivo Confocal Microscopic Analysis Of Limbus and Cornea Imentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the past, LSCD diagnosis rested primarily on history and clinical signs 1 , with confirmation by histology 2 and impression cytology. 3 With the advent of in vivo laser scanning confocal microscopy (IVCM), live imaging of the corneo-limbal epithelial architecture in healthy individuals [4][5][6][7] and LSCD patients 2,3,8 became possible. Confirmation of loss of palisades of Vogt (POV) and conjunctivalization by IVCM is now an adjuvant to diagnose LSCD.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…IVCM scanning in the above studies focused on the POV [2][3][4][5][6][7][8] in the limbus, but not the microarchitecture of the limbal stroma. Recent studies using human cadaver tissue examined the cellular components of the anterior limbal stroma and their role in the maintenance of stemness in the basal epithelium.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

In Vivo Confocal Microscopic Analysis of Normal Human Anterior Limbal Stroma

Mathews¹,

Chidambaram

Lanjewar

et al. 2015

Cornea

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose-To characterize the microarchitecture of the anterior limbal stroma in healthy individuals using in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) and to correlate it with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), a component of the limbal-niche.Methods-The corneal side of the superior limbus was scanned in 30 eyes of 17 normal subjects beyond the basal epithelium, deep into the stroma using a HRT III laser scanning microscope. The IVCM findings were correlated with the immunohistochemical features of MSCs in the anterior limbal stroma.Results-Clusters of hyperreflective structures were observed in the anterior limbal stroma, subjacent to the basal epithelium (depth: 50.2±8.7 -98±12.8 μm), but not in the corneal stroma. The structures showed unique morphology compared to epithelial cells, keratocytes, neurons and dendritic cells. In parallel, confocal analysis of immunostained sections showed clusters of cells, double positive for MSC specific markers (CD90 and CD105) in the anterior limbal stroma at a depth of 55.3±12.7 μm to 72±37.6 μm. The organization and distribution of the MSC clusters locates them within the hyperreflective region in the anterior limbal stroma. Conclusions-The hyperreflective structures, demonstrated for the first time in the human anterior limbal stroma, probably represent an important component of the limbal-niche. Our approach of in vivo imaging may pave the way for assessing the limbal stromal health.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 48%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: In Vivo Confocal Microscopic Analysis Of Limbus and Cornea Imentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

In Vivo Confocal Microscopic Analysis of Normal Human Anterior Limbal Stroma

Mathews¹,

Chidambaram

Lanjewar

et al. 2015

Cornea

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Bioinspired Precision Engineering of Three‐Dimensional Epithelial Stem Cell Microniches

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Maintenance of the epithelium relies on stem cells residing within specialized microenvironments, known as epithelial crypts. Two‐photon polymerization (2PP) is a valuable tool for fabricating 3D micro/nanostructures for stem cell niche engineering applications. Herein, biomimetic gelatin methacrylate‐based constructs, replicating the precise geometry of the limbal epithelial crypt structures (limbal stem cell “microniches”) as an exemplar epithelial niche, are fabricated using 2PP. Human limbal epithelial stem cells (hLESCs) are seeded within the microniches in xeno‐free conditions to investigate their ability to repopulate the crypts and the expression of various differentiation markers. Cell proliferation and a zonation in cell phenotype along the z‐axis are observed without the use of exogenous signaling molecules. Significant differences in cell phenotype between cells located at the base of the microniche and those situated towards the rim are observed, demonstrating that stem cell fate is strongly influenced by its location within a niche and the geometrical details of where it resides. This study provides insight into the influence of the niche’s spatial geometry on hLESCs and demonstrates a flexible approach for the fabrication of biomimetic crypt‐like structures in epithelial tissues. This has significant implications for regenerative medicine applications and can ultimately lead to implantable synthetic “niche‐based” treatments.

show abstract

Normal Anatomy

Hau

2022

In Vivo Confocal Microscopy in Eye Disease

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In vivo confocal microscopic features of normal limbus

Cited by 50 publications

References 15 publications

In Vivo Confocal Microscopic Analysis of Normal Human Anterior Limbal Stroma

In Vivo Confocal Microscopic Analysis of Normal Human Anterior Limbal Stroma

Bioinspired Precision Engineering of Three‐Dimensional Epithelial Stem Cell Microniches

Normal Anatomy

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About