In a pioneering study, stem-cell-derived corneal implants improve sight for patients with severe vision impairment, offering a potential breakthrough for treating limbal stem cell deficiency. Slit-lamp microscopic photographs of all four treated eyes before and 52 weeks after induced pluripotent stem cell-derived corneal epithelial cell sheet transplantation. Study: Induced pluripotent stem-cell-derived corneal epithelium for transplant surgery: a single-arm, open-label, first-in-human interventional study in Japan In a recent study published in The Lancet , a group of researchers evaluated the safety and preliminary efficacy of human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived corneal epithelial cell sheets (iCEPS) for treating limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD), a debilitating condition characterized by the loss of corneal stem cells, which causes severe vision impairment.
Background The corneal epithelium, essential for vision, relies on limbal stem cells located at the corneal edge for continuous regeneration. LSCD occurs when these cells are lost or depleted, leading to damage to the corneal surface, conjunctival scarring, and vision impairment. LSCD can result from trauma, immune-mediated conditions, or genetic disorders.
Treatment involves reconstructing the ocular surface and grafting healthy corneal epithelial tissue. Both autologous and allogeneic therapies face limitations like immune rejection risks, biopsy dependence, and quality inconsistencies. iPSC-derived co.
