Limbal Epithelial Crypts (LECs) are stem cell niches located in the limbus, the area between the cornea and the conjunctiva, and are responsible for cornea epithelium regeneration. Their anatomical structures were identified and described... more
Limbal Epithelial Crypts (LECs) are stem cell niches located in the limbus, the area between the cornea and the conjunctiva, and are responsible for cornea epithelium regeneration. Their anatomical structures were identified and described by Dua et al (2005). Stem cells migrate from this area toward the cornea where they differentiate into corneal epithelial cells. The lack of the LECs determines a pathology called Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency (LSCD) that can cause conjunctivalization, neovascularisation, corneal opacification, eventually resulting in vision loss. Currently, the main carriers to support limbal stem cell proliferation and differentiation used in clinics do not include enclosed structures able to act as cell reservoirs. In addition, the driving forces that determine the migration and the differentiation of limbal stem cells are not clarified yet. The hypotheses of this thesis were that the stiffness and the geometry of the scaffold influence the limbal stem cell differ...
