Abstract
When the ocular outer surface is badly damaged, subsequent corneal transplantation fails due to the absence of basal cells that are needed to support the graft. With the realization that the limbus and the conjunctiva have adult stem cells that can be cultured, it has been possible for us to explant culture these on de-epithelized human amniotic membrane, and to graft the resulting viable and transparent epithelium to 125 needy human patients with success. Ultrastructural, histological, biochemical and immunological assays establish the identity of the cells and the tissue formed.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Sangwan, V. S. and Tseng, S. C. G. (2001) New perspectives in ocular surface disorders. An integrated approach for diagnosis and management. Indian J. Ophthalmol. 49:153–68.
Kim, J. C. and Tseng, S. C. G. (1995) Transplantation of preserved human amniotic membrane for ocular surface reconstruction in severely damaged rabbit corneas. Cornea 14:473-84.
Azuara-Blanco, A., Pillai, C. T., Sarhan, A., and Dua, H. S. (1998) Amniotic membrane transplantation for ocular surface reconstruction. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 39:S428.
Sridhar, M. S., Sangwan, V. S., Bansal, A. K., and Rao, G. N. (2000) Amniotic membrane transplantation in acute chemical and thermal injury. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 136:134-37.
Schwab, I. R., Reyes, M., and Isseroff, R. R. (2000) Successful transplantation of bioengineered tissue replacements in patients with ocular surface disease. Cornea 19:421-26.
Tsai, R. J. F., Li, L. M., and Chen, J. K. (2000) Reconstruction of damaged corneas by transplantation of autologus limbal epithelial cells. New Engl. J. Med. 343:86-93.
Vemuganti, G. K. and Balasubramanian, D. (2002) Heralding the dawn of cultured adult stem cell transplantation. Indian J. Biotech. 1:39-49.
Sangwan, V.S., Vemuganti, G.K., Singh, S., Kashyap, S., Iftekhar, G., and Rao, G.N. (2002) Early results of ocular surface reconstruction in Unilateral Severe Limbal stem cell deficiency using autologus cultured limbal and conjunctival stem cells. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 43: E-Abstract 2992.
Koizumi, N., Inatomi, T., Suzuki, T., Sotozono, C., and Kinoshita, S. (2001) Cultivated corneal epithelial transplantation in ocular surface reconstruction in acute phase of Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Arch. Ophthalmol. 119:298-300.
Koizumi, N., Inatomi, T., Suzuki, T., Sotozono, C., and Kinoshita, S. (2001) Cultivated corneal epithelial transplantation in ocular surface disorders. Ophthalmol. 108: 1569-1574.
Pellegrini, G., Traverso, C. E., Franzi, A. T., Zingirian, M., Cancedda, R., and De Luca, M. (1997) Long-term restoration of damaged corneal surfaces with autologus cultivated corneal epithelium. Lancet 349: 990-93.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sangwan, V.S., Vemuganti, G.K., Singh, S. et al. Successful Reconstruction of Damaged Ocular Outer Surface in Humans Using Limbal and Conjuctival Stem Cell Culture Methods. Biosci Rep 23, 169–174 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:BIRE.0000007690.43273.73
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:BIRE.0000007690.43273.73