title: Proteoglycan alterations in the rabbit corneal stroma after a lamellar incision.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate proteoglycans under minimally damaged epithelium after a lamellar microkeratome incision.
  
  
  METHODS
  Collaborating university departments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anterior lamellar caps were excised from rabbit corneas and then resutured in place. Healing tissue was examined by electron microscopy with proteoglycan staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the weeks after surgery, regions of disorganized stromal matrix were populated by sulfated proteoglycan filaments that were much larger (up to 300 nm long) than those in quiescent stroma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Large, sulfated proteoglycans existed in rabbit corneas healing from lamellar incisions. These molecules appear to be a normal feature of corneal wound healing; because of their water-binding capacity, they might aid tissue restructuring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University, United Kingdom. QuantockAJ@cf.ac.uk
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Quantock
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Padroni
authors.forename: Che J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Connon
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Milne
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Schanzlin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003300:Copper; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007211:Indoles; D020731:Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ / Q000379:methods; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011817:Rabbits; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D007211:Indoles; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011509:Proteoglycans; C015445:copper phthalocyanine; D003300:Copper