Characterization of immortalized human lacrimal gland epithelial cells in 2D and 3D cell culture models

In humans, the lacrimal gland produces the aqueous component of the tear film, which e.g. moistens and nourishes the ocular surface to maintain ophthalmic health. Decreased production of the aqueous component leads to the development of dry eye disease, which affects over 250 million people worldwide. Despite the impact on patients, the availability of primary human material to study underlying disease mechanisms is severely constrained. Here, we report the development of an immortalized human lacrimal gland epithelial cell line that improves accessibility to study the molecular pathogenesis-mechanisms of dry eye disease and link them to causal treatments.