Fig. 2

LESC residency corresponds to limbal regions with distinctly softer mechanical properties. Representative confocal immunofluorescence micrographs of corneal epithelial cell markers and ECM components were used to reconstruct in 3D the limbus and central cornea. Expression of limbal markers ABCG2 (a), CK15 (b), and ΔNp63 (c), were expressed by limbal epithelial cells supported by collagen-I-positive/collagen-V-negative matrix, but not by central corneal epithelium (a–c). Markers such as CK3 (a), β-catenin (b), and integrin-α3β1 (c) showed higher expression in the central corneal epithelium. Histochemical distinction between central cornea and limbus was further evidenced by the basement membrane markers and corresponding receptors. The limbus showed a discontinuous distribution of laminin-1 compared to the central cornea, and the specific expression of laminin-γ3 and integrin-α9 (d). Conversely, the central corneal epithelium was positive for CK3+12 and collagen-VII (e). Cell nuclei were detected using DAPI. f Marker expression was quantified and represented as average ± S.D. from all three independent experiments (n = 3; *** corresponds to p < 0.001 after one-way ANOVA). Source data are provided as a Source Data file. Scale bars, 100 µm