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Cell Trails
10 September 2016

Cell Trails

When light enters your eye, it first passes through the clear layer at the front called the cornea. The corneal epithelial cells, which cover it get worn away easily and have to be replaced. This is done by limbal epithelial stem cells (LESCs) from the area surrounding the cornea, which divide to produce cells that develop into replacement corneal epithelial cells. As this happens, the cells move from the outside of the cornea towards the middle. The image on the right shows this process in a mouse cornea, where some LESCs and their descendants contain fluorescent protein. Recently, researchers have used simulations like the left-hand image to prove that this pattern forms itself due to constant cell death and replacement – it doesn’t need signals from outside the cornea. Understanding how the cornea heals can help us develop better techniques for treating diseases that affect it.

Written by Esther Redhouse White

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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