| Which differentiated cell type is used |
| Label |
corneal endothelial cell |
| Link |
http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/CL_0000132 |
| Description |
An hexagonal, flattened, mitochondria-rich endothelial cell that forms a monolayer on the posterior surface of the cornea (the corneal endothelium). Corneal endothelial cells are derived from the neural crest and are responsible for keeping the cornea transparent by maintaining the tissue in a semi-dry state through the action of their ionic pumps and tight junction barrier.; Corneal endothelial cells are specialized cells located on the innermost layer of the cornea, known as the endothelium. The cornea is the clear outer layer of the eye that helps to transmit and focus light into the retina. The endothelium is crucial in maintaining corneal clarity by actively pumping water out of the corneal stroma, the thick, collagen-containing middle layer of the cornea, to prevent swelling and ensure transparency.
Corneal endothelial cells are characterized by their unique hexagonal shape forming a mosaic, and they are highly metabolically active. Their primary function is to maintain corneal dehydration and thereby clarity through maintaining a barrier and an active 'pump-leak' mechanism, which regulates fluid and solute transport. This transport sustains the deturgescence (state of being non-swollen) of the corneal stroma, since stromal swelling can cause corneal opacification, hindering light transmission. Importantly, human corneal endothelial cells have limited regenerative capacity, so damage to them, through disease, aging, or surgical trauma may result in vision loss.
(This extended description was generated by ChatGPT and reviewed by the CellGuide team, who added references, and by the CL editors, who approved it for inclusion in CL. It may contain information that applies only to some subtypes and species, and so should not be considered definitional.) |
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