Fig. 9.

Corneal stromal SLATEs as substrates for human corneal epithelial cell growth. Epithelial cells isolated from human corneas were grown on A- and R-SLATEs for 2 weeks with Cnt-7 medium, followed by an additional 2 weeks period with SHEM in air-lifting conditions, and then imaged by immunofluorescence confocal microscopy. Expression of A) CK3 and collagen-IV, B) CK15 and ABCG2, C) ΔNp63 and β1-integrins, D) YAP and ZO-1, or E) laminin and collagen-VII was analyzed by tridimensional reconstruction of a 300 × 300 μm area (large panels) and corresponding cross-section views of projected composites (small panels). Cell nuclei were identified by DAPI staining. F) Signal specificity was evaluated using secondary antibody-only controls.