The ocular surface is constantly exposed to the environment and is prone to
severe injury or disease which may be responsible for vision loss. Serious corneal
injuries may result in permanent vision loss and their treatment remains a clinical
challenge. MSCs and their secreted factors (secretome) have extensively been studied
for their regenerative properties in preclinical models. The plethora of cytokines and
growth factors, as well as EVs released by MSCs, act in concert against scarring,
neovascularisation and inflammation, and assist in the re-epithelialisation process of
the ocular surface after injuries. Different routes of MSC and EV administration have
been studied in preclinical models, and thereafter employed in the clinical setting in
order to maximise the efficacy of MSC-based treatment for corneal disturbances. This
chapter describes the possible routes of administration, including systemic, local and
topical delivery of stem cells and their bio-products, and the associated efficiency of
repair.
Keywords: Alkali burn, Clinical studies, Corneal regeneration, Extracellular
vesicles, Inflammation, Injured ocular surface repair, Intrastromal injection,
Limbal stem cell deficiency, Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells, Mouse model,
Neovascularisation, Periorbital delivery, Preclinical studies, Secretome, Stem
cells, Subconjunctival injection, Systemic delivery, Topical application,
Transplantation routes, Wound healing.
