Laminin-511-E8 promotes efficient in vitro expansion of human limbal melanocytes

Polisetti N, Gießl A, Li S, Sorokin L, Kruse F, Schlötzer-Schrehardt U (2020)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2020

Journal

Book Volume: 10

Article Number: 11074

Journal Issue: 1

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68120-0

Abstract

Limbal melanocytes, located in the basal epithelial layer of the corneoscleral limbus, represent essential components of the corneal epithelial stem cell niche, but, due to difficulties in their isolation and cultivation, their biological roles and potential for stem cell-based tissue engineering approaches have not been comprehensively studied. Here, we established a protocol for the efficient isolation and cultivation of pure populations of human limbal melanocytes, which could be expanded at high yield by using recombinant laminin (LN)-511-E8 as culture substrate. Co-cultivation of limbal melanocytes with limbal epithelial stem/progenitor cells on fibrin hydrogels pre-incubated with LN-511-E8 resulted in multilayered stratified epithelial constructs within ten days. By reproducing physiological cell–cell and cell–matrix interactions of the native niche environment, these biomimetic co-culture systems provide a promising experimental model for investigating the functional roles of melanocytes in the limbal stem cell niche and their suitability for developing advanced epithelial grafts for ocular surface surface reconstruction.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität (WWU) Münster Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Polisetti, N., Gießl, A., Li, S., Sorokin, L., Kruse, F., & Schlötzer-Schrehardt, U. (2020). Laminin-511-E8 promotes efficient in vitro expansion of human limbal melanocytes. Scientific Reports, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-68120-0

MLA:

Polisetti, Naresh, et al. "Laminin-511-E8 promotes efficient in vitro expansion of human limbal melanocytes." Scientific Reports 10.1 (2020).

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