PURPOSE: To present cytokeratin (CK)7 (OV-TL 12/30 clone) as a newly identified, reliable marker for distinguishing between the conjunctival and corneal surface epithelia, which will contribute to the precise diagnosis of limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD). METHODS: Corneal and conjunctival epithelial imprints from 12 cadaveric bulbi and from 9 patients with clinically diagnosed LSCD were used for CK7 and CK19 immunocytochemistry. Specimens on nitroacetate cellulose filter papers obtained from the patients were stained with a combination of periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and Gill's modified Papanicolaou stains, to assess the presence of goblet cells (GCs). RESULTS: CK7 was present in almost all superficial conjunctival epithelial cells from the cadaveric specimens. No immunostaining was observed on the corneal surface. A prominent sharp border of stain was found between the positive conjunctiva and the completely negative epithelium of the central cornea. A more gradual centrifugal decrease in the number of positive cells between the conjunctiva and cornea was observed for CK19. Several CK19-positive cells were detected in the central corneal epithelium. All corneal specimens from affected eyes (unilateral as well as bilateral LSCD patients) revealed strong positivity for CK7, and GCs were present in only 78% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: In cases in which GCs are severely decreased or are absent from the conjunctival surface, the detection of CK7 (OV-TL 12/30 clone) clearly confirms the overgrowth of the conjunctival epithelium over the cornea. Moreover, CK7 is a more reliable marker for distinguishing between the corneal and conjunctival epithelia compared with CK19.
PURPOSE: To present cytokeratin (CK)7 (OV-TL 12/30 clone) as a newly identified, reliable marker for distinguishing between the conjunctival and corneal surface epithelia, which will contribute to the precise diagnosis of limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD). METHODS: Corneal and conjunctival epithelial imprints from 12 cadaveric bulbi and from 9 patients with clinically diagnosed LSCD were used for CK7 and CK19 immunocytochemistry. Specimens on nitroacetate cellulose filter papers obtained from the patients were stained with a combination of periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and Gill's modified Papanicolaou stains, to assess the presence of goblet cells (GCs). RESULTS:CK7 was present in almost all superficial conjunctival epithelial cells from the cadaveric specimens. No immunostaining was observed on the corneal surface. A prominent sharp border of stain was found between the positive conjunctiva and the completely negative epithelium of the central cornea. A more gradual centrifugal decrease in the number of positive cells between the conjunctiva and cornea was observed for CK19. Several CK19-positive cells were detected in the central corneal epithelium. All corneal specimens from affected eyes (unilateral as well as bilateral LSCD patients) revealed strong positivity for CK7, and GCs were present in only 78% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: In cases in which GCs are severely decreased or are absent from the conjunctival surface, the detection of CK7 (OV-TL 12/30 clone) clearly confirms the overgrowth of the conjunctival epithelium over the cornea. Moreover, CK7 is a more reliable marker for distinguishing between the corneal and conjunctival epithelia compared with CK19.
Authors: Zhuo Chen; Cintia S de Paiva; Lihui Luo; Francis L Kretzer; Stephen C Pflugfelder; De-Quan Li Journal: Stem Cells Date: 2004 Impact factor: 6.277
Authors: Sayoko E Moroi; Parag A Gokhale; Miriam T Schteingart; Alan Sugar; Catherine A Downs; Satoko Shimizu; Charles Krafchak; Nobuo Fuse; Susan G Elner; Victor M Elner; Andrew Flint; Michael P Epstein; Michael Boehnke; Julia E Richards Journal: Am J Ophthalmol Date: 2003-04 Impact factor: 5.258
Authors: Jon R Eidet; Øygunn A Utheim; Rakibul Islam; Torstein Lyberg; Edvard B Messelt; Darlene A Dartt; Tor P Utheim Journal: Curr Eye Res Date: 2014-04-21 Impact factor: 2.424
Authors: Sophie X Deng; Vincent Borderie; Clara C Chan; Reza Dana; Francisco C Figueiredo; José A P Gomes; Graziella Pellegrini; Shigeto Shimmura; Friedrich E Kruse Journal: Cornea Date: 2019-03 Impact factor: 2.651
Authors: Michel Haagdorens; Sara Ilse Van Acker; Veerle Van Gerwen; Sorcha Ní Dhubhghaill; Carina Koppen; Marie-José Tassignon; Nadia Zakaria Journal: Stem Cells Int Date: 2015-12-14 Impact factor: 5.443
Authors: Fawzia Bardag-Gorce; Andrew Makalinao; Imara Meepe; Richard H Hoft; Daileen Cortez; Joan Oliva; Amanda Laporte; Jeremy Stark; Amber Gorce; Michael Di Lorenzo; Samuel W French; William Lungo; Yutaka Niihara Journal: Heliyon Date: 2018-12-08
Authors: Graziella Pellegrini; Alessandro Lambiase; Claudio Macaluso; Augusto Pocobelli; Sophie Deng; Gian Maria Cavallini; Roza Esteki; Paolo Rama Journal: Regen Med Date: 2016-04-19 Impact factor: 3.806