Principal Investigator
Mgr. Kateřina Jirsová, PhD.
Researchers
MUDr. Petra Lišková, PhD., Mgr. Stanislava Merjavá, Mgr. Kristýna Brejchová, Ing. Ľubica Ďuďáková, MUDr. Viera Veselá, Šárka Kalašová
Research Fields
Inherited ocular disorders and their underlying cellular mechanisms including the search for molecular genetic cause, ocular surface diseases and keratoconus pathogenesis, innovation of the preparation tissue for grafting, corneal cell and tissue culture including limbal stem cells
Main results
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Liskova P, Tuft SJ, Gwilliam R, Ebenezer ND, Jirsova K, Prescott Q, Martincova R, Pretorius M, Sinclair N, Boase DL, Jeffrey MJ, Deloukas P, Hardcastle AJ, Filipec M, Bhattacharya SS. Novel mutations in the ZEB1 gene identified in Czech and British patients with posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy. Hum Mutat. 2007;28(6):638. IF = 5.956 This paper identified novel mutations in ZEB1 and confirmed thus that this gene is involved in the pathogenesis of posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy in a small subset of patients.
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Jirsova K, Dudakova L, Kalasova S, Vesela V, Merjava S. The OV-TL 12/30 clone of anti-cytokeratin 7 antibody as a new marker of corneal conjunctivalization in patients with limbal stem cell deficiency. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011;52(8):5892-8. IF =3,93 Our work demonstrates that cytokeratin (CK) 7 (OV-TL 12/30 clone) is a new, reliable marker for distinguishing between the conjunctival and corneal surface epithelia. The detection of CK7 (OV-TL 12/30 clone) clearly confirms the overgrowth of the conjunctival epithelium over the cornea.
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Merjava S, Brejchova K, Vernon A, Daniels JT, Jirsova K. Cytokeratin 8 is expressed in human corneo-conjunctival epithelium, particularly in limbal epithelial cells. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011;52(2):787-94. IF =3,93 Our results clearly showed CK8 expression in the corneal, limbal and conjunctival epithelium. The study demonstrates the strong expression of CK8 in limbal epithelial basal cells, which is maintained during the differentiation and migration of the limbal cells towards the central corneal epithelium.
Current & recent projects
Grant from the Czech Ministry of Health (IGA: NT/12376, 2011-2014) “Comparison of autologous serum and umbilical cord serum eye drops for the treatment of ocular surface defects.“
Grant from the Czech Science Foundation (GACR GA ČR P301/12/P591, 2012-2014) “Identification and characterization of a novel gene causing corneal endothelial dystrophies.“
Top-notch technologies available
Immunohistochemisry techniques, light and fluorescent microscopy, cell tissue cultures
