Progress in Transdifferentiation of Autologous Alternative Cell Sources into Corneal Epithelial Cells

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Corneal limbal epithelial stem cells (LESCs) play a crucial role in corneal epithelium regeneration. Severe damage to these cells can result in limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD), characterized by repeated corneal conjunctivalization, leading to corneal turbidity and scar formation. Restoring functional LESCs and their ecological location are essential for treating LSCD. The goal of this review is to provide researchers and clinicians with key insights into LESCs biology and to conclude the current cell-based therapies advancement in LSCD treatments. Therapeutic cell resources mainly include mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), embryonic stem cells (ESCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), skin keratinocyte stem cells (SKCs), and oral mucosal epithelial cells (OMECs).

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

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