Yonsei Med J.  2005 Oct;46(5):687-692. 10.3349/ymj.2005.46.5.687.

The Involvement of Adult Stem Cells Originated from Bone Marrow in the Pathogenesis of Pterygia

• Song YS
• Ryu YH
• Choi SR
• Kim JC

• KMID: 2158150
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2005.46.5.687

Abstract

Pterygium is a proliferative disease. Recent research has reported that stem cells are involved in the pathogenesis of various proliferative diseases, including solid tumors and diabetic proliferate vitreoretinopathy. In previous literature, we hypothesized that adult stem cells originated from bone marrow were involved in the pathogenesis of pterygium. We proved this by immunohistochemical staining with various stem cell markers. The staining showed adult stem cells in the pterygium. c-kit positive cells were observed primarily in the stroma, and some cells were also found in the basal epithelium. AC133 and CD34 positive cells were primarily found in the basal epithelium and were ovoid shaped, similar to the c-kit cells. However, some cells were found in vascular endothelium. STRO-1 positive cells were found mainly in the stroma and were spindle shaped. In recurrent pterygium, cells were more scattered and the expression pattern was denser. Therefore, we suggest a new theory of pterygium pathogenesis. Inflammation caused by environmental factors triggers the abnormal production of some growth factors and cytokines in order to recover from cellular damage. If these healing signals are excessive, limbal basal cells will be changed to abnormally-altered pterygial cells. The excessive wound healing process and remnant altered cells result in recurrence using the same mechanism.

Keyword

Stem cells; CD34 antigen; c-kit protein; pterygium; STRO

MeSH Terms

Stem Cells/*physiology
Pterygium/*etiology
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit/analysis
Peptides/analysis
Middle Aged
Humans
Glycoproteins/analysis
Bone Marrow Cells/*physiology
Antigens, CD34/analysis
Antigens, CD/analysis

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Immunohistochemical staining of adult stem cells. CD34 positive cells were observed mainly in the basal epithelial portion of the pterygium (arrow). Cells were found in the vascular endothelium in the stroma (asterisk). Cell shapes were round to ovoid. In normal conjunctiva, a few positive cells were found. Perivascular endothelial cells were also positively stained (cross). (A: normal conjunctiva; B, C: pterygium). (EP, epithelium; STM, stroma) (A, B: × 200; C: × 400).

• 

  Fig. 2 Immunohistochemical staining of adult stem cells. c-Kit positive cells were observed mainly in the stroma and had a fibroblast like, spindle-shape (A: arrow). AC133 positive cells were found in the basal epithelium and stroma (B). STRO-1 positive cells were observed mainly in the stroma and had a fibroblast-like, spindle shape (C: asterisk). Cells in the basal epithelial layer of the pterygium (C: arrow head, rhodanine staining) (EP, epithelium; STM, stroma, × 200).

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