Advances on the study of limbal stem cells culture <i>in vitro</i>

Abstract

LSCs(limbal stem cells)are one of the adult unipotent stem cells located in the Vogt palisade area of the limbal cornea. It can supplement the repair of corneal epithelium by self renewal and play an important role in maintaining normal corneal epithelial integrity, corneal transparency and maintaining normal vision. The lack of corneal limbus stem cells caused by various reasons will lead to corneal turbid, ocular surface vascularization, and final blindness. The main methord to treat related diseases is to cultivate corneal limbal stem cells in vitro and retransplantation. How to effectively expand the limbal stem cells in vitro is the key to the success of the treatment. The location, acquisition methods and expansion methods of limbal stem cells were reviewed.

Keywords

• limbal stem cells
• 3D cell culture
• <i>in vitro</i> expansion
• <i>in vitro</i> expansion