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Updated: May 2, 2026

Corneal Tissue Engineering: An In Vitro Model of the Stromal-nerve Interactions of the Human Cornea
Published on: January 24, 2018
The integrin needle in the stromal haystack: emerging role in corneal physiology and pathology
Sunil K Parapuram1, William Hodge
1Department of Ophthalmology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 4V2, Canada, Sunil.Parapuram@sjhc.london.on.ca.
Abstract:
Several studies have established the role of activated corneal keratocytes in the fibrosis of the cornea. However, the role of keratocytes in maintaining the structural integrity of a normal cornea is less appreciated. We focus on the probable functions of integrins in the eye and of the importance of integrin-mediated keratocyte interactions with stromal matrix in the maintenance of corneal integrity. We point out that further understanding of how keratocytes interact with their matrix could establish a novel direction in preventing corneal pathology including loss of structural integrity as in keratoconus or as in fibrosis of the corneal stroma.
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