Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Department of Ophthalmology, Harvey and Bernice Jones Eye Institute, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.
Stem Cells Transl Med. 2022 Mar 31;11(3):259-268. doi: 10.1093/stcltm/szab028.
The corneal epithelium serves to protect the underlying cornea from the external environment and is essential for corneal transparency and optimal visual function. Regeneration of this epithelium is dependent on a population of stem cells residing in the basal layer of the limbus, the junction between the cornea and the sclera. The limbus provides the limbal epithelial stem cells (LESCs) with an optimal microenvironment, the limbal niche, which strictly regulates their proliferation and differentiation. Disturbances to the LESCs and/or their niche can lead to the pathologic condition known as limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) whereby the corneal epithelium is not generated effectively. This has deleterious effects on the corneal and visual function, due to impaired healing and secondary corneal opacification. In this concise review, we summarize the characteristics of LESCs and their niche, and present the current and future perspectives in the management of LSCD with an emphasis on restoring the function of the limbal niche.
角膜上皮有助于保护下方的角膜免受外界环境的影响，对于角膜透明度和最佳视觉功能至关重要。该上皮的再生依赖于位于角膜和巩膜交界处的缘区的干细胞群体。缘区为角膜缘上皮干细胞（limbal epithelial stem cells，LESCs）提供了一个最佳的微环境，即缘区龛，严格调节其增殖和分化。LESCs 和/或其龛的紊乱可导致称为角膜缘干细胞缺乏症（limbal stem cell deficiency，LSCD）的病理状况，导致角膜上皮无法有效生成。这会对角膜和视觉功能产生有害影响，因为愈合受损和继发的角膜混浊。在这篇简明的综述中，我们总结了 LESCs 及其龛的特征，并介绍了目前和未来治疗 LSCD 的观点，重点是恢复缘区龛的功能。
