Related Experiment Videos
Long-spacing collagen in the human corneal stroma
K Hirano1, M Nakamura, M Kobayashi
1Department of Ophthalmology, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan.
Japanese Journal of Ophthalmology
|January 1, 1993
Summary
Long-spacing collagen, a component of the corneal stroma, was found in both unused and removed corneal lenticules. Its presence appears to correlate with age-related changes in corneal tissue.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Biomaterials Science
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Long-spacing collagen (LSC) is typically associated with migrating keratocytes in corneal stroma.
- Its presence in corneal lenticules, particularly unused ones, has not been extensively studied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and origin of long-spacing collagen in corneal lenticules.
- To determine if LSC is a naturally occurring component of corneal tissue or solely a product of cellular activity.
Main Methods:
- Electron microscopy was used to examine corneal lenticules.
- Corneal lenticules were obtained from post-epikeratoplasty and unused samples.
- Normal human corneas from individuals of various ages were also analyzed.
Main Results:
- Long-spacing collagen was observed in both removed and unused corneal lenticules.
- LSC was found near keratocytes in the removed lenticule, but also in the unused lenticule where keratocytes were destroyed.
- LSC was present in the corneal stroma of aged individuals but not younger ones, with variations in periodicity noted in the oldest subjects.
Conclusions:
- Long-spacing collagen can exist naturally in corneal lenticules.
- The presence of LSC appears to be linked to age-related changes in the corneal stroma.
- LSC is a common component of normal human corneal stroma, with its occurrence potentially influenced by aging.