Peripheral human corneal epithelium grows better in tissue culture than central epithelium, but it is not known whether ocular limbal epithelium grows even better than does the peripheral corneal epithelium. In this work we compared the growth kinetics of limbal and peripheral human corneal epithelial cells in tissue culture. Four 1-2 mm2 explants, removed from the limbus or from peripheral cor...

PURPOSE The perivascular localization of stem cell (SC) niches suggests the presence of a vascular niche. We aimed to determine the angiogenesis potential of limbal niche cells (NCs). METHODS Human limbal NCs were isolated and serially passaged on plastic or coated Matrigel in embryonic SC medium containing BFGF and leukemia inhibitory factor before being reseeded in 3D Matrigel. Expression o...

PURPOSE To investigate morphologic alterations in the limbal palisades of Vogt in a progressive form of limbal stem cell deficiency. METHODS Twenty Norwegian subjects (40 eyes) with congenital aniridia and 9 healthy family members (18 eyes) without aniridia were examined. Clinical grade of aniridia-related keratopathy (ARK) was assessed by slit-lamp biomicroscopy, and tear production and qual...

Limbal epithelial stem cells may ameliorate limbal stem cell deficiency through secretion of therapeutic proteins, delivered to the cornea in a controlled manner using hydrogels. In the present study the secretome of alginate-encapsulated limbal epithelial stem cells is investigated. Conditioned medium was generated from limbal epithelial stem cells encapsulated in 1.2% (w/v) calcium alginate g...

PURPOSE To report the efficacy of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells as a source of feeder cells for the cultivation of transplantable corneal epithelial cell sheets. METHODS Human mesenchymal stem cells (marrow adherent stem cells; MASCs) were cultured in alpha-modified Eagle's medium with 10% serum and were treated with mitomycin C. Expression of cytokines in MASCs was confirm...

This study examined the possibility that homologous limbal tissue, including trabecular meshwork, serving as an antigen, could elicit inflammatory cells responsible for both aqueous obstruction and inflammation; the possible role of this response in ocular disease was also studied. Four sets of guinea pigs were sensitized with complete Freund's adjuvant. One set received just adjuvant and salin...

Corneal epithelial stem cells or limbal stem cells (LSCs) are responsible for the maintenance of the corneal epithelium in humans. The exact location of LSCs is still under debate, but the increasing need for identifying the biological processes in the limbus, where LSCs are located, is of great importance in the regulation of LSCs. In our current study we identified 146 preferentially expresse...

AIM Treatment of recurrent pterygium associated with symblepharon requires both suppression of fibrosis and reconstruction of limbal barrier. To achieve this, human amniotic membrane was transplanted and limbal autografts performed. METHODS Four patients with severe symblepharon resulting from multiple surgeries for pterygium were treated. Human amniotic membrane was obtained at caesarean sec...

OBJECTIVE To report the use of preserved amniotic membrane and living related corneal limbal/conjunctival transplantation in total limbal stem cell and conjunctival deficiency secondary to severe Stevens-Johnson syndrome. DESIGN Prospective, noncomparative, interventional case series. PATIENTS AND METHODS Ten eyes of 10 patients with total limbal stem cell and conjunctival deficiency second...

The most difficult part in ocular surface reconstruction for total limbal stem cell deficiency is restoring a healthy and stable corneal epithelium. Recently, there has been a shift toward a cellular-based transplantation that eliminates the need for harvesting large amounts of limbal tissues from a living donor. The autologous oral epithelium can be used as a source for ocular surface reconstr...