Oral epithelial cells transplanted on to corneal surface tend to adapt to the ocular phenotype.

ABSTRACT

To understand the response of oral epithelial cells, transplanted on corneal surface to the ocular cues in vivo. The corneal bu􀄴 on obtained after penetrating keratoplasty (PK) of an eye of a patient with total limbal stem cell defi ciency (LSCD), previously treated with cultured oral mucosal epithelial transplantation (COMET) was examined by immunohistochemistry for the expression of keratins, p63, p75, PAX6, Ki-67, CD31, and CD34. COMET followed by optical-PK has improved visual acuity to 20/40 and rendered a stable ocular surface. The excised corneal tissue showed the presence of stratifi ed epithelium with vasculatures. The epithelial cells of the corneal bu􀄴 on expressed K3, K19, Ki- 67, p63, p75 and the cornea-specifi c PAX6 and K12. This study confi rms that the oral cells, transplanted to corneal surface, survive and stably reconstruct the ocular surface. They maintain their stemness at the ectopic site and acquire some of the corneal epithelial-like characters.