Notara Research Group Publishes Review Highlighting the Role of Limbal Epithelial Stem Cells in Corneal Health
Dr. Maria Notara’s working group has published a new review article in the international journal Cells. The article, entitled “Limbal Epithelial Stem Cells in Review: Immune and Lymphangiogenic Privilege and Their Clinical Relevance,” summarizes current findings on the central role of limbal epithelial stem cells (LESCs) in maintaining corneal transparency and their clinical significance.
The authors – B. Meshko, T. Volatier, C. Cursiefen, and M. Notara – demonstrate that LESCs are much more than simple precursor cells for corneal epithelial regeneration. Rather, they function as key regulators of the cornea’s immunological and (lymph)angiogenic privilege by integrating biochemical and mechanical signals from their stem cell niche. Through these mechanisms, they maintain a delicate balance between efficient tissue regeneration and the active suppression of inflammation as well as blood and lymphatic vessel formation. Another focus of the review is on identifying functionally different limbal cell populations. Specific stem cell markers, particularly ABCB5, allow the differentiation of specialized epithelial subsets involved in repair and remodeling. Moreover, associated stromal cells exert pronounced anti-inflammatory and anti-(lymph)angiogenic effects, contributing substantially to the maintenance of corneal avascularity.
The authors further emphasize the clinical relevance of these mechanisms: Damage to or loss of the limbal stem cell niche—for example, due to trauma, UV exposure, or genetic disorders such as aniridia—results in the breakdownof immunological and vascular privilege. This leads tolimbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD), which is associated with chronic inflammation, neovascularization, loss of corneal transparency, and ultimately vision loss.
Based on these findings, the authors outline important perspectives for future therapeutic strategies. Effective treatment approaches of LSCD should address not only epithelial regeneration but also the preservation of immunological and vascular privilege. Targeting specific stem cell populations or their paracrine signalling pathways may provide sustainable approaches for restoring the ocular surface.
The article was published in Cells in January 2026 (Volume 15, Article 91) and is freely available: https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15010091.