Biomaterial Database

The organization of collagen in the corneal stroma. 2004

Keith M Meek, and Craig Boote

Structural Biophysics Group, Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University, Redwood Building, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3NB, UK. meekkm@cf.ac.uk

The cornea has evolved to fulfil the dual functions of enclosing and protecting the inner contents of the eye, and focussing light onto the retina with minimum scatter and optical degradation. It does this by means of the arrangement of the constituent collagen fibrils, an arrangement that is unique in connective tissues. This article reviews our current knowledge about the detailed organization of collagen in the corneal stroma, and presents new data suggesting that a significant proportion of collagen fibrils running across the cornea, change direction near the limbus and fuse with the circumferential limbal collagen.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011509	Proteoglycans	Glycoproteins which have a very high polysaccharide content.	Proteoglycan,Proteoglycan Type H
D003094	Collagen	A polypeptide substance comprising about one third of the total protein in mammalian organisms. It is the main constituent of SKIN; CONNECTIVE TISSUE; and the organic substance of bones (BONE AND BONES) and teeth (TOOTH).	Avicon,Avitene,Collagen Felt,Collagen Fleece,Collagenfleece,Collastat,Dermodress,Microfibril Collagen Hemostat,Pangen,Zyderm,alpha-Collagen,Collagen Hemostat, Microfibril,alpha Collagen
D003319	Corneal Stroma	The lamellated connective tissue constituting the thickest layer of the cornea between the Bowman and Descemet membranes.	Corneal Stromas,Stroma, Corneal,Stromas, Corneal
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014961	X-Ray Diffraction	The scattering of x-rays by matter, especially crystals, with accompanying variation in intensity due to interference effects. Analysis of the crystal structure of materials is performed by passing x-rays through them and registering the diffraction image of the rays (CRYSTALLOGRAPHY, X-RAY). (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)	Xray Diffraction,Diffraction, X-Ray,Diffraction, Xray,Diffractions, X-Ray,Diffractions, Xray,X Ray Diffraction,X-Ray Diffractions,Xray Diffractions
D016850	Limbus Corneae	An annular transitional zone, approximately 1 mm wide, between the cornea and the bulbar conjunctiva and sclera. It is highly vascular and is involved in the metabolism of the cornea. It is ophthalmologically significant in that it appears on the outer surface of the eyeball as a slight furrow, marking the line between the clear cornea and the sclera. (Dictionary of Visual Science, 3d ed)	Corneal Limbus,Corneoscleral Junction,Sclerocorneal Limbus,Corneoscleral Junctions,Junction, Corneoscleral,Junctions, Corneoscleral,Limbus, Corneal,Limbus, Sclerocorneal