Molecular profiling of the of conjunctival epithelial side population cells
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ABSTRACT: Side population (SP) cells isolated from limbal and conjunctival epithelia derive from cells that are slow cycling in vivo, a known feature of tissue stem cells. The purpose of this study was to define the molecular signature of the conjunctival side population cells by global differential gene expression to identify markers and signaling pathways associated with this cell phenotype. Four overnight cultures of freshly isolated human conjunctival epithelial cells stained with Hoechst 3342 were cytometrically sorted into SP and non-SP cohorts. RNA was isolated and processed for microarray analysis using a commercial oligonucleotide array representing more than 55,000 transcripts derived from about 30,000 different genes. Selected microarray results were validated at the gene and protein levels by quantitative PCR, and immunological methods. Data mining methods were used to identify cellular processes relevant for stem cell function. Comparative analysis of transcripts expression based on expression levels and present/absent software calls across 4 replicate experiments identified 16993 expressed conjunctival epithelial transcripts including 10,266 unique known genes. Of those genes, 1254 and 363 were over expressed (> 2-fold ) or under expressed (< 0.5-fold), respectively, in the SP. The overexpressed set included genes coding for non-epithelial genes (e.g., CD62E/E-selectin and CD93), genes that have been associated with stem cell function in other cellular systems, including several homeodomain genes and genes whose over- or under-expression may underpin the stem cell slow cycling phenotype ( e.g., dual specificity phosphatases and cyclin kinases).
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE12631 | GEO | 2009/10/30
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA112805
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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