Ex vivo cultivated oral mucosal epithelial cell transplantation for limbal stem cell deficiency: a review

Abstract

Abstract Destruction or dysfunction of limbal epithelial stem cells (LESCs) leads to unilateral or bilateral limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD). Fifteen years have passed since the first transplantation of ex vivo cultivated oral mucosal epithelial cells (COMET) in humans in 2004, which represents the first use of a cultured non-limbal autologous cell type to treat bilateral LSCD. This review summarizes clinical outcomes from COMET studies published from 2004 to 2019 and reviews results with emphasis on the culture methods by which grafted cell sheets were prepared.

Keywords

• Cultivated oral mucosal epithelial cell
• Limbal stem cell deficiency
• Oral mucosal epithelial cells
• Tissue regeneration