title: Progenitor cells for ocular surface regenerative therapy.
abstract: The integrity and normal function of the corneal epithelium are essential for maintaining the cornea's transparency and vision. The existence of a cell population with progenitor characteristics in the limbus maintains a dynamic of constant epithelial repair and renewal. Currently, cell-based therapies for bio-replacement, such as cultured limbal epithelial transplantation and cultured oral mucosal epithelial transplantation, present very encouraging clinical results for treating limbal stem cell deficiencies. Another emerging therapeutic strategy consists of obtaining and implementing human progenitor cells of different origins using tissue engineering methods. The development of cell-based therapies using stem cells, such as human adult mesenchymal stromal cells, represents a significant breakthrough in the treatment of certain eye diseases and also offers a more rational, less invasive and more physiological approach to ocular surface regeneration.
authors.affiliation: Transplant Services Foundation, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. rcasaroli@ub.edu
authors.forename: Ricardo P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Casaroli-Marano
authors.forename: Nuria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nieto-Nicolau
authors.forename: Eva M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Martínez-Conesa
mesh_terms: D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation*; D006801:Humans; D016850:Limbus Corneae / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous