The organization of collagen in the corneal stroma.
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.
Meek
Keith M
KM
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
Boote
Craig
C
D003094:Collagen / Q000032:analysis* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D016850:Limbus Corneae / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000032:analysis; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D011509:Proteoglycans; D003094:Collagen