Summary
Published in Translational Vision Science & Technology (2019), this peer-reviewed study used 3D Petri Dish® micro-molds to form scaffold-free 3D microtissues. Full citation: Lin, Hui, et al. Three Dimensional Culture of Potential Epithelial Progenitor Cells in Human Lacrimal Gland
Three Dimensional Culture of Potential Epithelial Progenitor Cells in Human Lacrimal Gland
Research Overview
This study investigated human lacrimal gland tissue for the presence of progenitor cells. Six donor lacrimal glands were collected and stored in culture medium at 4°C, then split — part for immunofluorescence staining, part for primary cell culture.
Immunofluorescence evaluated lacrimal epithelial phenotype and progenitor markers across five passages, real-time PCR assessed proliferation markers by passage, and three-dimensional culture with PCR was used to determine differentiation capacity — testing whether adult human lacrimal gland harbors progenitors usable for dry-eye regenerative approaches.
Key Discoveries
- Six donor human lacrimal glands screened for epithelial progenitor cells
- Progenitor and phenotype markers tracked by immunofluorescence across five passages
- 3D culture used to assess differentiation capacity of the isolated cells
