Figure 6.

Investigation of the survival of transplanted oral mucosal epithelial cell (OEC) sheets by histological analysis. (a–d) In the normal rabbit ocular surface, K4 was expressed in all conjunctival epithelial cell layers, while only the superficial layer of the limbal and corneal epithelia expressed K4. The transplant rabbits were sacrificed after 10 scrapings, and the ocular surfaces were subjected to histological analysis. (e) Reconstructed epithelia were thinner than native cornea and were comprised three to four epithelial cell layers, while the epithelial cell layer was slightly thicker through the corneal periphery to the limbus and conjunctiva. (f) Mucin 5 (Muc5), a goblet cell marker, was used to identify conjunctival epithelial invasion into the cornea region. In transplanted ocular surfaces, Muc5-expressing cells were observed at the periphery of the cornea as well as the conjunctiva. (g–j) Interestingly, K4 was expressed in the superficial layer of ocular surface which did not express Muc5. These K4 expression patterns were similar to that of the transitional zone between the cornea and bulbar conjunctiva. Bars = 50 µm.