The anterior surface of the eye functions as a barrier to the external environment and protects the delicate underlying structures from injury. This protection is provided through the elaboration of the corneal, limbal and conjunctival epithelia. As self-renewing tissues, these epithelia are governed by stem cells, which play a crucial role in tissue homeostasis, regeneration, tissue transplantation, gene therapy, and in the pathogenesis of several anterior surface epithelial diseases. My work during the past decade has contributed to the identification of stem cells within the corneal and conjunctival epithelia. My recent findings suggest that the meibomian gland may be the site of the ultimate conjunctival epithelial stem cells, and thus may play a role in maintaining the conjunctival epithelium. The long-term goal of this project is to understand the biological properties of corneal and conjunctival epithelial stem cells. Towards this end we will: (i) determine the role of the meibomian gland in the homeostasis of the conjunctival epithelium. (ii) continue to identify and characterize genes that may govern the limbal stem cell population. Data obtained from these studies, should help us to understand the role of stem cells in controlling growth and differentiation of the corneal and conjunctival epithelia. These studies should form the foundation for a better understanding of the etiology of certain problems associated with limbal stem cell deficiency (e.g. persistent corneal epithelial breakdown), as well as neoplastic transformations giving rise to the unusually aggressive mucoepidermoid and sebaceous carcinomas.
| Dong, Ying; Peng, Han; Lavker, Robert M (2018) Emerging Therapeutic Strategies for Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency. J Ophthalmol 2018:7894647 |
| Kaplan, Nihal; Ventrella, Rosa; Peng, Han et al. (2018) EphA2/Ephrin-A1 Mediate Corneal Epithelial Cell Compartmentalization via ADAM10 Regulation of EGFR Signaling. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 59:393-406 |
| Peng, Han; Park, Jong Kook; Lavker, Robert M (2017) Autophagy and Macropinocytosis: Keeping an Eye on the Corneal/Limbal Epithelia. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 58:416-423 |
| Park, Jong Kook; Peng, Han; Katsnelson, Julia et al. (2016) MicroRNAs-103/107 coordinately regulate macropinocytosis and autophagy. J Cell Biol 215:667-685 |
| Peng, Han; Park, Jong Kook; Katsnelson, Julia et al. (2015) microRNA-103/107 Family Regulates Multiple Epithelial Stem Cell Characteristics. Stem Cells 33:1642-56 |
| Peng, Han; Hamanaka, Robert B; Katsnelson, Julia et al. (2012) MicroRNA-31 targets FIH-1 to positively regulate corneal epithelial glycogen metabolism. FASEB J 26:3140-7 |
| Sun, Lijie; Ryan, David G; Zhou, Mingyuan et al. (2006) EEDA: a protein associated with an early stage of stratified epithelial differentiation. J Cell Physiol 206:103-11 |
| Zhou, Mingyuan; Leiberman, Joshua; Xu, Jing et al. (2006) A hierarchy of proliferative cells exists in mouse lens epithelium: implications for lens maintenance. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 47:2997-3003 |
| Jensen, P J; Lavker, R M (1999) Urokinase is a positive regulator of epidermal proliferation in vivo. J Invest Dermatol 112:240-4 |
| Williams, D L; Risse, B; Kim, S et al. (1999) Plasminogen activator inhibitor type 2 in human corneal epithelium. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 40:1669-75 |
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