title: The formation of collagen and its relation to ophthalmic diseases (first of two parts).
abstract: In this first part of the review the assembly and structuring of collagen to form various types of fibrous tissue are described. Intracellularly this involves translation of the genetic code of nuclear DNA into chains of amino acids in the endoplasmic reticulum, hydroxylation, glycosylation and winding of these chains into the triple helix of procollagen, which is then extruded into the extracellular space. Extracellularly procollagen is converted to tropocollagen, which is then aligned and cross-linked into fibres by both enzymatic and nonenzymatic processes.
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D003094:Collagen / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D011347:Procollagen / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D011347:Procollagen; D003094:Collagen