[Experimental studies on the existence and distribution characteristics of neural stem cells in adult human ciliary body and retina].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the existence and distribution characteristics of neural stem cells in the eyes of adult human ciliary body and retina.

METHODS

Eight eyes from 20 - 40 years old health adult and 3 infant eyes were obtained from Guangdong Eye Bank and were used in the present studies. The protein and mRNA expressions of neural progenitor cell-specific antigen nestin in the ciliary body and retina were detected by immunohistochemical staining and reverse RT-PCR assays, respectively. The ultrastructural and distribution characteristics of these cells were studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

RESULTS

Immunohistochemical staining showed that there were a few nestin-positive cells existed in pigment epithelium layer of ciliary body and inner nuclear layer (INL) of retina. mRNA expression of nestin gene was detected in both the ciliary body and retina of the infant and adult eyes by RT-PCR assays. The expression of nestin in the infant ciliary body was higher than that of the adult eye. By TEM, a few cells with the characteristic morphology of neural stem cells were identified and their location was consistent with the results of immunohistochemical staining.

CONCLUSION

Cells with the features of neural stem cells are present in the pigment epithelium layer of ciliary body and the inner nuclear layer of retina in adult human eyes.