The potential cause of blindness worldwide includes diseases of the cornea, ocular surface (limbal stem cell deficiency, allergic conjunctivitis, dry eye diseases), and retinal diseases. The presence of stem cells (limbal stem cells) in the basal region of the limbus makes it an important tool for the ocular regeneration and also in maintaining the transparency of eye by replacing the corneal e...

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Sources of autologous tissue that can functionally replace the corneal epithelium have been considered as an alternative to allogenous limbal transplants for limbal stem cells deficiency (LSCD). The aim of the present study was to compare the characterization of oral mucosa with limbal epithelial cells by markers using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-...

In this review we evaluate evidence for three different hypotheses that explain how the corneal epithelium is maintained. The limbal epithelial stem cell (LESC) hypothesis is most widely accepted. This proposes that stem cells in the basal layer of the limbal epithelium, at the periphery of the cornea, maintain themselves and also produce transient (or transit) amplifying cells (TACs). TACs the...

A large body of evidence suggests that corneal allograft rejection is mediated by a type 1 Th cell response and that deviation toward type 2 immunity favors graft survival. However, clinical observations indicate that patients with severe ocular allergies have increased risk of corneal allograft rejection. We used a mouse model of atopic conjunctivitis to evaluate the effects of Th2 immune devi...

Using a previously described murine heterotopic corneal allograft model, we examined the roles of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in corneal allograft rejection. We have previously shown that normal C57BL/6 mice consistently reject heterotopic corneal allografts within 14 days of grafting. These hosts develop antigen-specific CTL responses but no evidence o...

Cornea is the clear, dome-shaped surface that covers the front of the eye and when damage due to burns or injury and several other diseases, stem cells residing in its rim called "limbus" are stimulated to multiply to support growth of new epithelial cells over its surface. If this ready source of stem cells is damaged or destroyed the natural repair is not possible and such a condition is know...

Corneal epithelial stem cells are thought to be at the limbus. The limbal epithelium was surgically removed in 12 New Zealand white rabbits. After 6 months, four showed mild vascularization. To challenge the remaining proliferative reserve, two consecutive 7.5-mm epithelial woundings were created 3 weeks apart in 11 limbal-deficient corneas and 11 controls. After the first wounding, five of the...

Key issues in corneal epithelium biology are the mechanism for corneal epithelium stem cells to maintain the corneal epithelial homeostasis and wound healing responses, and what are the regulatory molecular pathways involved. There are apparent discrepancies about the locations of the progenitor populations responsible for corneal epithelial self-renewal. We have developed a genetic mouse model...

OBJECTIVE To describe the ocular phenotype in patients with ectrodactyly-ectodermal dysplasia-clefting (EEC) syndrome (MIM#604292) and to determine the pathogenic basis of visual morbidity. DESIGN Retrospective case series. PARTICIPANTS Nineteen families (23 patients) affected by EEC syndrome from the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Italy. METHODS General medical examination to fulfill the d...