Human Corneal Endothelial Cells (HCEnCs)

Human corneal endothelial cells (HCEnCs) form a single, specialized monolayer of hexagonal cells located on the posterior surface of the cornea, adjacent to the aqueous humor. These cells are derived from neural crest tissue during embryonic development. Their primary function is to regulate stromal hydration and maintain corneal transparency by controlling fluid and solute transport between the stroma and aqueous humor. HCEnCs maintain a slightly dehydrated state in the corneal stroma, which is essential for optimal light transmission and visual acuity. They achieve this through a pump-leak mechanism involving active pumping (primarily via Na+/K+ ATPase and carbonic anhydrase) to move water out of the stroma. HCEnCs are generally considered post-mitotic in vivo, and loss or dysfunction leads to corneal edema and vision impairment.

Other names

Corneal Endothelial CellsHCEnCPosterior corneal cellsCorneal endothelium