Umbilical stem cells could help in the recovery of lost vision for patients with corneal scarring by transplanting human umbilical mesenchymal stem cells.

Mesenchymal stem cells are “multi-potent” stem cells that can differentiate into a variety of cell types.

“Corneal transplantation is currently the only true cure for restoration of eyesight that may have been lost due to corneal scarring caused by infection, mechanical and chemical wounds and congenital defects of genetic mutations,”. There is a shortage of suitable corneas for transplantation, and at the present time, there is no effective alternative procedure besides corneal transplantation to treat corneal blindness. There is a large need to develop alternative treatment regimens, one of which may be the transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells

Lumican is a protein that controls the formation and maintenance of transparent corneas.

Lumican knock-out models manifested thin and cloudy corneas. Transplantation of the umbilical stem cells significantly improved transparency and increased corneal stromal.

In addition, the umbilical mesenchymal stem cells survived in the stroma (connective tissue) for more than three months with minimal or no rejection and became corneal cells, repairing lost functions caused by mutations. Besides, the availability of human umbilical stem cells is almost unlimited.

“These findings have the potential to create new and better treatments-and an improved quality of life-for patients with vision loss due to corneal injury,”