Corneal epithelial cell sheets

A successful clinical study was conducted by using limbal-derived cell sheets for the treatment of patients suffering from unilateral total corneal stem-cell deficiencies [18], which resulted from alkali burns or Stevens-Johnson syndrome. In the case of bilateral total comeal stem-cell deficiencies, an autologous oral mucosal epithelial cell sheet was transplanted onto the ocular surface [19]. A clinical trial in France for the treatment of a bilateral limbal stem-cell deficiency had been conducted by using autologous oral mucosal epithelial cell sheets [20]. Through this clinical trial, the treatment was safe and effective in 25 cases with a 1-year follow-up, although two patients experienced serious adverse events, which were not related to the transplantation of the cell sheets. 

Burillon, C., Huot, L., Justin, V., Nataf, S., Chapuis, R, Decullier, E., et al. (2012). Cultured autologous oral mucosal epithelial cell sheet (CAOMECS) transplantation for the treatment of corneal limbal epithelial stem cell deficiency. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 53, 1325-1331. 

Nishida, K., Yamato, M., Hayashida, Y, Watanabe, K., Maeda, N., Watanabe, H., et al. (2004a). Functional bioengineered corneal epithelial sheet grafts from comeal stem cells expanded ex vivo on a temperature-responsive cell culture surface. Transplantation, 77, 379-385. 

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