Current perspectives of limbal-derived stem cells and its application in ocular surface regeneration and limbal stem cell transplantation

Vivek Singh; Anil Tiwari; Abhinav Reddy Kethiri; Virender Singh Sangwan

doi:10.1002/sctm.20-0408

Current perspectives of limbal-derived stem cells and its application in ocular surface regeneration and limbal stem cell transplantation

Stem Cells Transl Med. 2021 Aug;10(8):1121-1128. doi: 10.1002/sctm.20-0408. Epub 2021 May 5.

Authors

Vivek Singh¹, Anil Tiwari^{2

3}, Abhinav Reddy Kethiri¹, Virender Singh Sangwan³

Affiliations

¹ Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, Center for Ocular Regeneration, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India.
² Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
³ Department of Cornea and Uveitis, Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital, New Delhi, India.

Abstract

Limbal stem cells are involved in replenishing and maintaining the epithelium of the cornea. Damage to the limbus due to chemical/physical injury, infections, or genetic disorders leads to limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) with partial or total vision loss. Presently, LSCD is treated by transplanting limbal stem cells from the healthy eye of the recipient, living-related, or cadaveric donors. This review discusses limbal-derived stem cells, the importance of extracellular matrix in stem cell niche maintenance, the historical perspective of treating LSCD, including related advantages and limitations, and our experience of limbal stem cell transplantation over the decades.

Keywords: corneal stromal stem cells; cultivated limbal epithelial transplantation; limbal stem cell deficiency; limbus; simple limbal epithelial transplantation; stem cells.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Cell Transplantation
Cells, Cultured
Corneal Diseases* / therapy
Epithelium, Corneal*
Humans
Limbus Corneae*
Stem Cell Transplantation