Melanocytes as emerging key players in niche regulation of limbal epithelial stem cells

Limbal melanocytes (LMel) represent essential components of the corneal epithelial stem cell niche and are known to protect limbal epithelial stem/progenitor cells (LEPCs) from UV damage by transfer of melanosomes. Here, we explored additional functional roles for LMel in niche homeostasis, immune regulation and angiostasis.Human corneoscleral tissues were morphologically analyzed in normal, inflammatory and wound healing conditions. The effects...