Serious diseases affecting the transparent part of the eye, called the cornea, are very difficult to treat because this structure lacks blood vessels and has little capacity for regeneration and repair. Many patients with serious corneal pathologies can only be treated by transplantation, which involves removing the damaged cornea and replacing it with a healthy cornea from another person who has donated their organs.

“Although common transplants usually offer good results, it is necessary to develop new effective methods of regeneration that do not depend on organ donation, which is subject to waiting lists,” explains Miguel Alaminos, professor of Histology at the UGR.