The Corneal limbus is a readily accessible region at the front of the eye, separating the @entity5692 . Neural colonies (neurospheres) can be generated from adult corneal limbus in vitro. We have previously shown that these neurospheres originate from neural crest stem/progenitor cells and that they can differentiate into functional neurons in vitro. The aim of this study was to investigate whether @entity19 and @entity1 @entity1358 ( @entity1358 ) could differentiate towards a retinal lineage both in vivo and in vitro following exposure to a developing retinal microenvironment. In this article we show that @entity1358 can be generated from adult @entity19 and aged @entity1 (up to 97 years) using a serum free culture assay. Following culture with developing @entity19 retinal cells, we detected retinal progenitor cell markers, mature retinal/neuronal markers and sensory cilia in the majority of @entity19 @entity1358 experiments. After transplantation into the sub-retinal space of neonatal @entity19 , @entity19 @entity1358 cells expressed photoreceptor specific markers, but no incorporation into host retinal tissue was seen. @entity1 @entity1358 cells also expressed retinal progenitor markers at the transcription level but mature retinal markers were not observed in vitro or in vivo. This data highlights that @entity19 corneal limbal stromal progenitor cells can transdifferentiate towards a retinal lineage. Complete differentiation is likely to require more comprehensive regulation; however, the accessibility and plasticity of @entity1358 makes them an attractive cell resource for future study and ultimately therapeutic application.

Adult XXXX : a potential autologous cell resource for retinal cell generation.

@entity19 :: ('10090', 'Species') :: ['mice', 'mouse'] @entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['humans', 'human', 'Human'] @entity1358 :: ('MESH:D002292', 'Disease') :: ['limbal neurosphere cells', 'LNS'] @entity5692 :: ('MESH:D015422', 'Disease') :: ['cornea and sclera']
@entity1358 :: (MESH:D002292,Disease) :: ['limbal neurosphere cells']
