Histological and microRNA Signature of the Corneal Epithelium in Keratoconus

In this interview from AAO 2018, Dr. Yumeng Wang discusses a miRNA and histological analysis of patients with keratoconus. The study revealed a low cellular integrity and increased apoptosis in keratoconic corneal epithelia. Furthermore, her study found 12 miRNAs that were downregulated, including genes involved in cell adhesion, cell apoptosis, cell motor activity and proteoglycan syndecan-mediated signaling pathway. Dr. Wang also discusses the use of impression cytology to collect corneal epithelial tissues for gene expression analysis. Her findings, published in the March 2018 issue of the Journal of Refractive Surgery, broaden the current understanding of keratoconus pathology.

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