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This review synthesizes recent findings on the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying pterygium - particularly its links to UV-induced damage, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and chronic inflammation - through the lens of limbal niche disruption. Histopathological and immunological evidence is complemented by advanced imaging modalities such as optical coherence tomography and in vivo confocal microscopy, which offer unprecedented insights into limbal architecture. Finally, the review under discussion here highlights emerging surgical paradigms, with a particular emphasis on limbal-conjunctival autografting as a means of reducing recurrence and restoring epithelial homeostasis. A more profound comprehension of limbal dynamics in pterygium has the potential to inform future diagnostic and regenerative interventions in ocular surface disease.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/11206721261476757","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T18:46:09Z","timestamp":1786560369000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Limbal Niche dysfunction in pterygium: An integrated review of pathophysiology and clinical advances"],"prefix":"10.1177","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6989-4378","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gozde","family":"Sahin Vural","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, Bal\u0131kesir University"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1226-1737","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mehmet","family":"Gurdal","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ege University"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3333-3349","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ozlem","family":"Barut Selver","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Ophthalmology, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Stem Cell, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Ege University, Limbustem R&amp;D Medical Products Ltd., Ege University Technopark, Cord Blood Cell-Tissue Application and Research Center, Ege University, Izmir, T\u00fcrkiye"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_2_2_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41433-020-0786-3"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_3_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ajpath.2010.10.037"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_4_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S1542-0124(12)70103-9"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_5_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bjo.2008.151852"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_6_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/ICO.0000000000003337"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_7_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/229560a0"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_8_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/ICO.0b013e31823cbecb"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_9_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.preteyeres.2004.02.002"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_10_2","first-page":"3430","article-title":"UVB-mediated induction of interleukin-6 and \u22128 in pterygia and cultured human pterygium epithelial cells","volume":"43","author":"Di Girolamo N","year":"2002","unstructured":"Di Girolamo N, Kumar RK, Coroneo MT, et al. 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