Type VI collagen is a major component of the human cornea

Collagen type VI is shown to be present in the human cornea. This finding is based on comparative peptide mapping relative to type VI collagen isolated from placenta and on immunoblotting using antibodies specific for human type VI collagen. Scanning of polyacrylamide gels indicates that type VI collagen comprises as much as one quarter of the dry weight of the cornea. Indirect immunofluorescence shows this collagen to be distributed throughout the corneal stroma. Thus, type VI collagen must be considered a major component of the extracellular matrix of the human cornea.