Destruction or dysfunction of limbal epithelial stem cells (LESCs) leads to unilateral or bilateral limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD). Fifteen years have passed since the first transplantation of ex vivo cultivated oral mucosal epithelial cells (COMET) in humans in 2004, which represents the first use of a cultured non-limbal autologous cell type to treat bilateral LSCD. This review summarizes clinical outcomes from COMET studies published from 2004 to 2019 and reviews results with emphasis on the culture methods by which grafted cell sheets were prepared.

Department of Medical Biochemistry Oslo University Hospital Oslo Norway

Department of Ophthalmology Sørlandet Hospital Trust Arendal Arendal Norway

Department of Oral Biology Faculty of Dentistry University of Oslo Oslo Norway

Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Oslo University Hospital Oslo Norway

Laboratory of the Biology and Pathology of the Eye Institute of Biology and Medical Genetics 1st Faculty of Medicine Charles University and General University Hospital Prague Prague Czech Republic

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