Limbal epithelial cell therapy: past, present, and future

Abstract

The cornea, the clear window at the front of the eye, transmits light to the retina to enable vision. The corneal surface is renewed by stem cells located at the peripheral limbal region. These cells can be destroyed by a number of factors, including chemical burns, infections, and autoimmune diseases, which result in limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD), a condition that can lead to blindness. Established therapy for LSCD based on ex vivo expanded limbal epithelial cells is currently at a stage of refinement. Therapy for LSCD is also rapidly evolving to include alternative cell types and clinical approaches as treatment modalities. In the present perspectives chapter, strategies to treat LSCD are discussed and advances in this important field of regenerative medicine are highlighted.