Abstract
Purpose Characterisation of RtCE-1 cells, newly established rat corneal epithelial cell line.
Methods Morphology of RtCE-1 cells was characterised by light and electron microscopy. Expression of cytokeratins was studied by polyacrylamide electrophoresis and Western blotting. Characterisation of RtCE-1 cells also included karyotype analysis and in vitro study of growth kinetics.
Results The line shows morphological similarities to normal corneal epithelium. The cells express cornea-specific cytokeratins. Karyotype analysis revealed that the cells are polyploid with modal number of chromosomes at passage 30 equalling 72 ± 14. Growth of the line is partially dependent on EGF.
Conclusion RtCE-1 cells may constitute a model for the evaluation of proliferation, function and differentiation of corneal epithelium in vitro.
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This work was supported by the Committee for Scientific Research grant no. 6P20703106
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Jóźwiak, J., Skopiński, P., Komar, A. et al. Characterisation of epithelial cell line from rat cornea. Eye 15, 82–88 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.2001.19
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.2001.19
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