Goblet Cells of the Conjunctiva: A Review of Recent Findings

Overview

Journal Prog Retin Eye Res

Specialty Ophthalmology

Date 2016 Apr 20

PMID 27091323

Citations 81

Authors

Ilene K Gipson

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Goblet cells within the conjunctival epithelium are specialized cells that secrete mucins onto the surface of the eye. Recent research has demonstrated new characteristics of the cells, including factors influencing their differentiation, their gene products and their functions at the ocular surface. The following review summarizes the newly discovered aspects of the role of Spdef, a member of the Ets transcription factor family in conjunctival goblet cell differentiation, the newly discovered goblet cell products including claudin2, the Wnt inhibitor Frzb, and the transmembrane mucin Muc16. The current concepts of conjunctival goblet cell function, including debris removal and immune surveillance are reviewed, as are changes in the goblet cell population in ocular surface diseases. Major remaining questions regarding conjunctival cell biology are discussed.

Citing Articles

Optimizing instilled drug delivery: a scoping review of microdrops in ophthalmology.

Seliniotaki A, Tziola T, Lithoxopoulou M, Tzamalis A, Ziakas N, Mataftsi A Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2025; .

PMID: 40011238 DOI: 10.1007/s00417-025-06773-1.

The Role of Scanning Electron Microscopy in the Evaluation of Conjunctival Microvilli as an Early Biomarker of Ocular Surface Health: A Literature Review.

Troisi M, Prete S, Troisi S, Del Prete A, Bellucci C, Marasco D J Clin Med. 2025; 13(24.

PMID: 39768491 PMC: 11727919. DOI: 10.3390/jcm13247569.

Comparison of therapeutic effects of 0.05% Cyclosporine A versus 0.1% Fluorometholone in Chinese patients with mild dry eye unresponsive to artificial tears: a randomized control study.

Gao H, Zhao L, Du A, Zhang X, Chai M, Liu L BMC Ophthalmol. 2024; 24(1):513.

PMID: 39604906 PMC: 11603962. DOI: 10.1186/s12886-024-03771-5.

Enrichment protocols for human conjunctival extracellular vesicles and their characterization.

Romero-Castillo I, Lopez-Garcia A, Diebold Y, Garcia-Posadas L Sci Rep. 2024; 14(1):28270.

PMID: 39550477 PMC: 11569262. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-79481-1.

METI: deep profiling of tumor ecosystems by integrating cell morphology and spatial transcriptomics.

Jiang J, Liu Y, Qin J, Chen J, Wu J, Pizzi M Nat Commun. 2024; 15(1):7312.

PMID: 39181865 PMC: 11344794. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51708-9.

References

Gipson I, Spurr-Michaud S, Argueso P, Tisdale A, Ng T, Russo C . Mucin gene expression in immortalized human corneal-limbal and conjunctival epithelial cell lines. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2003; 44(6):2496-506. DOI: 10.1167/iovs.02-0851. View

Yoshida Y, Ban Y, Kinoshita S . Tight junction transmembrane protein claudin subtype expression and distribution in human corneal and conjunctival epithelium. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2009; 50(5):2103-8. DOI: 10.1167/iovs.08-3046. View

Barker N, van de Wetering M, Clevers H . The intestinal stem cell. Genes Dev. 2008; 22(14):1856-64. PMC: 2735277. DOI: 10.1101/gad.1674008. View

Bell S, Zhang L, Xu Y, Besnard V, Wert S, Shroyer N . Kruppel-like factor 5 controls villus formation and initiation of cytodifferentiation in the embryonic intestinal epithelium. Dev Biol. 2012; 375(2):128-39. PMC: 3582784. DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2012.12.010. View

Swamynathan S, Katz J, Kaestner K, Ashery-Padan R, Crawford M, Piatigorsky J . Conditional deletion of the mouse Klf4 gene results in corneal epithelial fragility, stromal edema, and loss of conjunctival goblet cells. Mol Cell Biol. 2006; 27(1):182-94. PMC: 1800665. DOI: 10.1128/MCB.00846-06. View

Langer G, Jagla W, Behrens-Baumann W, Walter S, Hoffmann W . Secretory peptides TFF1 and TFF3 synthesized in human conjunctival goblet cells. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1999; 40(10):2220-4. View

McCauley H, Guasch G . Three cheers for the goblet cell: maintaining homeostasis in mucosal epithelia. Trends Mol Med. 2015; 21(8):492-503. DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2015.06.003. View

Su L, Cui H, Xu C, Xie X, Chen Q, Gao X . Putative rabbit conjunctival epithelial stem/progenitor cells preferentially reside in palpebral conjunctiva. Curr Eye Res. 2011; 36(9):797-803. DOI: 10.3109/02713683.2011.593727. View

Contreras-Ruiz L, Masli S . Immunomodulatory cross-talk between conjunctival goblet cells and dendritic cells. PLoS One. 2015; 10(3):e0120284. PMC: 4368435. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0120284. View

10.

Pellegrini G, Golisano O, Paterna P, Lambiase A, Bonini S, Rama P . Location and clonal analysis of stem cells and their differentiated progeny in the human ocular surface. J Cell Biol. 1999; 145(4):769-82. PMC: 2133195. DOI: 10.1083/jcb.145.4.769. View

11.

Wei Z, Sun T, Lavker R . Rabbit conjunctival and corneal epithelial cells belong to two separate lineages. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1996; 37(4):523-33. View

12.

Hori Y, Spurr-Michaud S, Russo C, Argueso P, Gipson I . Effect of retinoic acid on gene expression in human conjunctival epithelium: secretory phospholipase A2 mediates retinoic acid induction of MUC16. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2005; 46(11):4050-61. PMC: 1473963. DOI: 10.1167/iovs.05-0627. View

13.

Inatomi T, Spurr-Michaud S, Tisdale A, Gipson I . Human corneal and conjunctival epithelia express MUC1 mucin. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1995; 36(9):1818-27. View

14.

Marko C, Tisdale A, Spurr-Michaud S, Evans C, Gipson I . The ocular surface phenotype of Muc5ac and Muc5b null mice. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2013; 55(1):291-300. PMC: 3894795. DOI: 10.1167/iovs.13-13194. View

15.

Chen G, Korfhagen T, Karp C, Impey S, Xu Y, Randell S . Foxa3 induces goblet cell metaplasia and inhibits innate antiviral immunity. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2014; 189(3):301-13. PMC: 3977731. DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201306-1181OC. View

16.

Stewart R, Sheridan C, Hiscott P, Czanner G, Kaye S . Human Conjunctival Stem Cells are Predominantly Located in the Medial Canthal and Inferior Forniceal Areas. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2015; 56(3):2021-30. DOI: 10.1167/iovs.14-16266. View

17.

Rachagani S, Torres M, Moniaux N, Batra S . Current status of mucins in the diagnosis and therapy of cancer. Biofactors. 2009; 35(6):509-27. PMC: 2846533. DOI: 10.1002/biof.64. View

18.

Spurr-Michaud S, Argueso P, Gipson I . Assay of mucins in human tear fluid. Exp Eye Res. 2007; 84(5):939-50. PMC: 1950265. DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2007.01.018. View

19.

Kim Y, Ho S . Intestinal goblet cells and mucins in health and disease: recent insights and progress. Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2010; 12(5):319-30. PMC: 2933006. DOI: 10.1007/s11894-010-0131-2. View

20.

Thornton D, Rousseau K, McGuckin M . Structure and function of the polymeric mucins in airways mucus. Annu Rev Physiol. 2007; 70:459-86. DOI: 10.1146/annurev.physiol.70.113006.100702. View