Song Yong-Seok, Park SunYoung, Fisk Debra, Sorenson Christine M, Sheibani Nader
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
Mcpherson Eye Research Institute, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
Cells. 2025 Apr 28;14(9):646. doi: 10.3390/cells14090646.
Melanocytes are a major cellular component of the choroid which aids in the maintenance of choroidal integrity and vision. Unfortunately, our knowledge regarding the cell autonomous melanocyte function, in preserving choroidal health and the ocular pathologies associated with choroidal dysfunction, remain largely unknown. The ability to culture melanocytes has advanced our knowledge regarding the origin and function of these cells in choroidal homeostasis and vision. However, the culture of murine choroid melanocytes has not been previously reported. Here, we describe a method for the isolation of melanocytes from the mouse choroid, as well as the delineation of many of their cellular characteristics, including the expression of various cell-specific markers, cell adhesion molecules, melanogenic capacity, and inflammatory responses to various extracellular stressors. Unraveling the molecular mechanisms that regulate melanocyte functions will advance our understanding of their role in choroidal homeostasis and how alterations in these functions impact ocular diseases that compromise vision.
黑素细胞是脉络膜的主要细胞成分，有助于维持脉络膜完整性和视力。不幸的是，我们对黑素细胞的细胞自主功能、维持脉络膜健康以及与脉络膜功能障碍相关的眼部病理的了解仍然非常有限。黑素细胞培养技术的发展增进了我们对这些细胞在脉络膜稳态和视力中的起源及功能的认识。然而，此前尚未有关于小鼠脉络膜黑素细胞培养的报道。在此，我们描述了一种从小鼠脉络膜中分离黑素细胞的方法，以及对其许多细胞特征的描述，包括各种细胞特异性标志物的表达、细胞粘附分子、黑素生成能力以及对各种细胞外应激源的炎症反应。阐明调节黑素细胞功能的分子机制将加深我们对其在脉络膜稳态中的作用以及这些功能改变如何影响损害视力的眼部疾病的理解。
