Severe damage to cell repair mechanisms of the limbal region can lead to many disorders such as vascularized conjunctivalization, keratinization, corneal scarring, and corneal opacification, collectively described as limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD). Limbal stem cell deficiency may occur as a result of depletion of stem cells or destruction of their stromal niche. In such cases, apart from co...

The limbus is a narrow band of tissue that encircles the cornea, the transparent 'window' into the eye. The outermost layer of the cornea is the epithelium, which is necessary for clear vision. The limbus acts as a 'reservoir' for limbal stem cells which maintain and regenerate the corneal epithelium. It also functions as a barrier to the conjunctiva and its blood vessels. Limbal stem cell defi...

INTRODUCTION Chemical burns of the eyes are one of the important causes of visual disability. Chemical burns particularly alkali burn may lead to gross limbal stem cell deficiency. Amniotic membrane transplantation with limbal graft is a good method for ocular surface reconstruction. CASE A 39 years male presented to Biratnagar Eye Hospital after 5 months of chemical injury with redness, pain...

Limbal epithelial progenitors are stem cells located in limbal palisades of vogt. In this review, we present the audience with recent evidence that limbal epithelial progenitors may be a powerful stem cell resource for the cure of human corneal stem cell deficiency. Further understanding of their mechanism may shed lights to the future successful application of stem cell therapy not only to the...

Background  To report normal variations of the limbal structures using in vivo laser scanning confocal microscopy. Methods: This was a retrospective study of fourteen eyes from 11 healthy individuals. Confocal imaging of cornea and limbus was performed using Heidelberg Retina Tomograph III Rostock Corneal Module. Results: The typical structure of the palisades of Vogt (POV) was detected ...

PURPOSE The management of severe ocular surface disease due to limbal stem cell deficiency has changed dramatically. The concept of limbal stem cells, as the source of corneal epithelium revolutionised the therapeutic approach of ocular surface reconstruction. Deficiency of limbal stem cells results in blinding ocular surface diseases. Grafting viable limbal tissue, from either fellow healthy e...

PURPOSES To describe corneal changes seen on in vivo confocal microscopy in patients with total limbal stem cell deficiency and to correlate them with cytological findings. METHODS A prospective case series including 13 eyes (8 patients) with total limbal deficiency was carried out. Stem cell deficiency was diagnosed clinically and by corneal impression cytology. Confocal images of the centra...

PURPOSE To investigate the phenotype of fetal and adult human limbal cells cultured on human amniotic membrane and the ability of cultured adult human limbal cells to repair limbal stem cell deficiency in a rabbit model. METHODS Human adult and fetal limbal cells were isolated and cultured either on plastic plates or on human amniotic membrane. Connexin43, p63, and keratins 3 and 12 (K3 and K...