Project description:The research of a specific oral mucosa epithelial marker was performed by microarray analysis of holoclones derived from cornea, conjunctiva and oral mucosa tissues. The results identified SOX2 and PAX6 as positive and negative markers to assess the presence (or absence) of oral epithelium onto the ocular surface.
Project description:To date, there is no specific marker for limbal epithelial stem cells. The identification of a marker that is expressed in the limbal epithelium but not in the cornea or conjunctiva epithelium has been a growing need. To search for limbal-specific marker(s), we performed preferential gene profiling in the limbus in direct comparison to that in the cornea and conjunctiva using microarray technique. This study consisted of gene expression profiles comparing the limbus to the cornea and conjunctiva.
Project description:To date, there is no specific marker for limbal epithelial stem cells. The identification of a marker that is expressed in the limbal epithelium but not in the cornea or conjunctiva epithelium has been a growing need. To search for limbal-specific marker(s), we performed preferential gene profiling in the limbus in direct comparison to that in the cornea and conjunctiva using microarray technique.
Project description:The limbus is a unique anatomic structure that is highly innervated and vascularized yet sets the boundary for the avascularized cornea. The corneal epithelial stem cells are believed to reside at the limbus. The intrinsic and external molecular signals that modulate the differentiation and proliferation of the limbal stems cells are still largely unidentified because of a lack of known specific markers. In this study, we used microarray technology to identify the unique gene expression profile in the limbus by comparing directly to that of its immediate adjacent structures, the cornea and conjunctiva, in the vervet monkey (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus). Many new genes were found to be preferentially expressed in the limbus, and two new biological pathways, melanin metabolism and apoptosis, were among other previously known processes identified in the limbus. These findings may shed light on the molecular components of limbal stem cells and their niche. Experiment Overall Design: The study consisted of gene expression profile comparisons across three anatomical structures of the eye. The parts of the eye compared included the cornea, the conjunctiva, and the limbus.
Project description:The limbus is a unique anatomic structure that is highly innervated and vascularized yet sets the boundary for the avascularized cornea. The corneal epithelial stem cells are believed to reside at the limbus. The intrinsic and external molecular signals that modulate the differentiation and proliferation of the limbal stems cells are still largely unidentified because of a lack of known specific markers. In this study, we used microarray technology to identify the unique gene expression profile in the limbus by comparing directly to that of its immediate adjacent structures, the cornea and conjunctiva, in the vervet monkey (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus). Many new genes were found to be preferentially expressed in the limbus, and two new biological pathways, melanin metabolism and apoptosis, were among other previously known processes identified in the limbus. These findings may shed light on the molecular components of limbal stem cells and their niche. Keywords: transcription profiling, gene expression
Project description:Identification of genes that are differentially regulated in fibroblasts derived from dysplastic oral mucosa and oral squamous cell carcinoma compared to fibroblasts derived from normal oral mucosa. Affymetrix microarrays were used to define differential gene expression.
Project description:Identification of genes that are differentially regulated in fibroblasts derived from dysplastic oral mucosa and oral squamous cell carcinoma compared to fibroblasts derived from normal oral mucosa. Affymetrix microarrays were used to define differential gene expression. Populations of fibroblasts were isolated from human normal oral mucosa, oral dysplasia and oral squamous cell carcinoma, maintained in 3D collagen I biomatrices, RNA extracted and processed for Affymetrix arrays. Fibroblasts maintained as monolayers were also included as comparators.
Project description:When compared to skin, oral mucosal wounds heal rapidly and with reduced scar formation. This study used an Affymetrix microarray platform to compare the transcriptomes of oral mucosa and skin wounds in order to identify critical differences in the healing response at these two sites.
Project description:Injuries of the vocal folds frequently heal with scar formation, which can have lifelong detrimental impact on voice quality. Current treatments to prevent or resolve scars of the vocal fold mucosa are highly unsatisfactory. In contrast, the adjacent oral mucosa is mostly resistant to scarring. These differences in healing tendency might relate to distinct properties of the fibroblasts populating oral and vocal fold mucosae. We thus established the in vitro cultivation of paired, near-primary vocal fold fibroblasts (VFF) and oral mucosa fibroblasts (OMF) to perform a basic cellular characterization and comparative cellular proteomics. VFF were significantly larger than OMF, proliferated more slowly, and exhibited a sustained TGF-β1-induced elevation of pro-fibrotic interleukin 6. Cluster analysis of the proteomic data revealed distinct protein repertoires specific for VFF and OMF. Further, VFF displayed a broader protein spectrum, particularly a more sophisticated array of factors constituting and modifying the extracellular matrix. Conversely, subsets of OMF-enriched proteins were linked to cellular proliferation, nuclear events, and protection against oxidative stress. Altogether, this study supports the notion that fibroblasts sensitively adapt to the functional peculiarities of their respective anatomical location and presents several molecular targets for further investigation in the context of vocal fold wound healing.
Project description:In an attempt to further elucidate the pathomechanisms in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), gene expression profiling to a set of 35 primary OSCCs compared to 6 oral mucosa from healthy non-tumor patients was performed. Keywords: expression profiling