Previous studies have shown that the corneal epithelial stem cells are located at the limbal basal layer. The limbal stem cells are regarded as the ultimate source for corneal epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation. This paper examines epithelial wound healing in rabbit corneas with partial limbal deficiency (PLD), which was created by the surgical removal of two-thirds of the limbal...

PURPOSE To determine if the use of combined HLA matched limbal stem cells allograft with amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) is a safe and effective prophylactic surgical procedure to prevent corneal graft after penetrating keratoplasty (PK). METHODS We report the case of a 17 years old patient with a history of congenital glaucoma, trabeculectomy and multiple corneal graft rejections, pr...

PURPOSE Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are self-renewing, multipotent cells that are present in many adult tissues, including bone marrow, trabecular bone, adipose, and muscle. The presence of such cells of mesenchymal origin and their role during the wound healing of ocular injuries are currently being explored by many studies worldwide. In this study, we aimed to report the presence of mesenchy...

PURPOSE We have previously identified specific epithelial proteins with altered expression in human diabetic central corneas. Decreased hepatocyte growth factor receptor (c-met) and increased proteinases were functionally implicated in the changes of these proteins in diabetes. The present study examined whether limbal stem cell marker patterns were altered in diabetic corneas and whether c-met...

PURPOSE The clinical success of treating corneas with total limbal stem cell deficiency using limbal biopsy explants cultured on intact amniotic membrane (iAM) relies on ex vivo expansion of limbal epithelial progenitor cells. However, the ultimate fate of limbal epithelial progenitor cells in the explant remains unclear. METHODS Human limbal explants were cultured on iAM for 2 weeks and then...

The most efficient method to expand limbal stem cells (LSCs) in vitro for clinical transplantation is to culture single LSCs directly on growth-arrested mouse fibroblast 3T3 cells. To reduce possible xenobiotic contamination from 3T3s, primary human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) were examined as feeder cells to support the expansion of LSCs in vitro. To optimize the ASC-supported culture, f...

BACKGROUND/AIMS Limbal allotransplantation is increasingly being used for ocular surface repair in patients with limbal stem cell dysfunction. However, it is uncertain whether donor cells survive long term on the ocular surface and whether patients maintain the early benefits of the procedure. The aims of this study were to investigate the long term outcome of clinical limbal allografts and to ...

purpose: to evaluate the results of one 60-degree block conjunctival limbal autograft (clau) surgery in patients with unilateral total limbal stem cell deficiency (lscd). methods: five eyes of 5 patients were included. all patients had a history of chronic total unilateral lscd due to a chemical injury. two patients underwent one 60-degree block clau with amniotic membrane transplantation, two ...

Cornea epithelium is subject to constant trauma and shedding of the surface epithelium, and replenishment is from epithelial cells beneath and peripheral to the central desquamating epithelium. The origin of the corneal epithelium appears to reside in the crypts of Vogt, where a population of "immortal" stem cells resides, possessing enormous potential for clonogenic cell division. These cells,...