Figure 4

H&E and immunofluorescence staining of the constructed corneal anterior lamellar and native human central cornea.

(A) Epithelial cells forming a tight, stratified cell layer on top of the corneal stromal equivalent, which contains fresh lenticules and fibrin glue (asterisk). (B) Native human central cornea with stratified epithelium attached to cellular stroma. (C–E) Corneal specific CK12 expression was noted in all the superficial epithelial cells in the constructed corneal anterior lamellar. (F–H) In the native human central cornea, CK12 was strongly expressed in all layers of the central corneal epithelium. (I–K) Stem/progenitor cell markers ABCG2 and p63α were expressed in the basal cell layer in the constructed corneal anterior lamellar. (L–N) In the native human central cornea, ABCG2 and p63α were absent in the central corneal epithelium. Bar: 20 μm.