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Updated: Feb 3, 2026

Effect of Artificial Tear Formulations on the Metabolic Activity of Human Corneal Epithelial Cells after Exposure to Desiccation
Published on: May 2, 2020
Glycosylation pathways of human corneal and conjunctival epithelial cell mucins
Inka Brockhausen1, Elena Elimova1, Ashley M Woodward2
1Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
Abstract:
Mucin glycoproteins on the ocular surface are rich in O-glycans and have important roles in the protection from physical, chemical and microbial impact. In this work, we have cultured human corneal and conjunctival epithelial cells to examine the glycosyltransferase activities that synthesize the O-glycans of mucins. The results indicate that ocular surface epithelial cells have active enzymes that synthesize O-glycans with sialylated core 1, Galβ1-3GalNAcα, and core 2, GlcNAcβ1-6(Galβ1-3)GalNAcα structures which corresponds to previous structural studies. Eye cells also have enzymes that synthesize complex N-glycans that are found on mucins. Results from treatment of eye cells with TNFα suggest that epithelial O-glycosylation changes in a dynamic fashion during inflammatory stimuli of the eye surface.
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