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...

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-...

PURPOSE To investigate the etiology of corneal dysfunction in the Pax6(+/-) mouse model of aniridia-related keratopathy. METHODS Mosaic patterns of X-gal staining were compared in the corneal and limbal epithelia of female Pax6(+/-) and Pax6(+/+) littermates, age 3 to 28 weeks, hemizygous for an X-linked LacZ transgene, and Pax6(+/+), LacZ(-)<-->Pax6(+/+), LacZ(+) and Pax6(+/+), LacZ(-)<-->Pa...

purpose: to evaluate the results of one 60-degree block conjunctival limbal autograft (clau) surgery in patients with unilateral total limbal stem cell deficiency (lscd). methods: five eyes of 5 patients were included. all patients had a history of chronic total unilateral lscd due to a chemical injury. two patients underwent one 60-degree block clau with amniotic membrane transplantation, two ...

purpose: to report the clinical findings and compare the outcomes of different surgical techniques evolved over time in a large series of patients with delayed-onset mustard gas keratitis (mgk). methods: this interventional retrospective case series includes patients with complications of delayed mgk. medical and surgical interventions to address dry eye, limbal ischemia and limbal stem cell de...

Purpose Limbal niche cells (LNCs) play a pivotal role in regulating limbal epithelial stem/progenitor cells (LESCs). This study aimed to investigate whether Notch signaling is involved in LNCs' regulation of LESCs. Methods Rat limbus was digested by dispase and collagenase, respectively. Limbal niche cells were isolated by serial passage of collagenase-digested cells on coated Matrigel in a m...

The depletion of limbal stem cells due to various diseases leads to corneal opacification and visual loss. The unequivocal identification and isolation of limbal stem cells may be a considerable advantage because long-term, functional recovery of corneal epithelium is linked to graft constructs that retain viable stem cell populations. As specific markers of limbal stem cells, the ATP-binding c...

PURPOSE To investigate the appearance of limbal and bulbar hyperaemia in normal eyes, their relationship and the inter-observer agreement of clinical grading. METHODS The right eyes of 120 healthy, non-contact lens-wearing subjects (m = 57, f = 63, median age = 45 years, range 18-77 years) were examined by two trained observers. Limbal and bulbar hyperaemia were scored using the Cornea and Co...