Immunity and Infection
Vitamin D in corneal endothelial cells
Vitamin D is mainly produced in the skin but recently, many tissues and cells have been shown to locally produce vitamin D which acts as an immunomodulatory hormone to suppress inflammation and induce antimicrobial responses. My project investigates the role of vitamin D in the human ocular barriers. We have shown that ocular barrier cells from corneal endothelium, ciliary body, and retina locally produce vitamin D. Corneal endothelial cells represent a significant barrier between corneal stroma and aqueous humor to preserve corneal transparency. Corneal endothelial cells produce the largest amounts of vitamin D among the other barrier cells. The picture shows a perinuclear immunofluorescent staining of 1-alpha hydroxylase (vitamin D activating enzyme) in corneal endothelial cells. Vitamin D may play an immunoregulatory function in the human eye to maintain ocular immune privilege.
Posted by UoB University Graduate School on 2012-03-16 13:35:46
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