BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE Ex vivo expansion of the limbal epithelial cells activates the nerve growth factor (NGF) mediated downstream signal transduction pathway. It is not clear as to which factors control the stemness of the corneal limbal stem cells, i.e., the maintenance of stem cell properties. It is likely that various signaling pathways are involved, including Notch, Wnt and NGF signaling,...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical outcome of a new sutureless approach for a temporary amniotic membrane patch (ProKera; Bio-Tissue, Inc, Miami, Florida) in eyes with acute burns. METHODS Retrospective review of 5 eyes of 5 patients with grades I to III acute alkaline burns, receiving ProKera insertion within 8 days of injury. RESULTS These eyes had either total (2 cases) or extensive (60%...

Stem cells have been demonstrated in nearly all adult mammalian tissues and play a vital role in their physiological renewal and healing after injury. Due to their irreplaceable role in tissue repair, these cells had to develop mechanisms protecting them from deleterious inflammatory immune reactions and ensuring their increased resistance to various apoptosis-inducing agents. In this study, we...

PURPOSE To describe the technique of limbal stem cell-sparing corneoscleroplasty for the management of advanced keratoglobus. METHODS A patient with bilateral advanced keratoglobus, with best-corrected visual acuity of 20/400 in the right eye and 20/200 in the left eye, underwent limbal stem cell-sparing corneoscleroplasty of the right eye. Initially, a 360-degree limbal incision with 200-μm ...

BACKGROUND A pterygium is a fibro-vascular, wing shaped encroachment of the conjunctiva on to the cornea. The prevalence rates ranges from 0.7 to 31% among different populations and also influenced by age, race, and exposure to solar radiations. Ultraviolet light-induced damage to the limbal stem cell barrier with subsequent conjunctivalisation of the cornea is the currently accepted aetiology ...

BACKGROUND Previous research has suggested that the silicon BD Atomic Edge knife has superior performance characteristics when compared to a metal knife and performance similar to diamond knife when making various incisions. This study was designed to determine whether a silicon accurate depth knife has equivalent performance characteristics when compared to a diamond limbal relaxing incision (...

PURPOSE To evaluate the effect of several culture variables on clonal growth and differentiation of limbal stem cells ex vivo and provide an improved culture technique that supports preferential expansion and preservation of stem cells for therapeutic applications. METHODS Corneal epithelial stem cells were isolated from human limbal specimens and clonally expanded on a 3T3 feeder layer, foll...

OBJECTIVE To report phenotypic analysis of epithelia before and following cultivated limbal epithelial transplantation (CLET) for eyes with limbal stem cell deficiency. METHODS Six patients with limbal stem cell deficiency (3 with alkali burns, 2 with Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and 1 with pseudo-ocular cicatricial pemphigoid) were subjected to CLET and subsequent keratoplasty. Immunohistochemi...