Effects of corneal epithelium and stroma on corneal epithelial basement membrane regeneration / 中华实验眼科杂志

ABSTRACT

Basement membranes (BMs) are highly specialized extracellular matrices, which widely exist in various tissues of the human body.Since BMs were discovered in the 19th century, the structures and functions of BMs have been gradually recognized.The corneal epithelial basement membrane (EBM) participates in the regulation of corneal scar formation by limiting the activation of fibrotic factors.After an injury, the formation and duration of corneal stromal fibrosis are determined by the degree of EBM injury and the speed of EBM regeneration.Corneal epithelium and stroma participate in the process of EBM regeneration.The rapid regeneration of corneal epithelium is beneficial to the assembly of the nascent EBM.Functional corneal stromal cells provide the rest assembly components for the nascent EBM.The regular surface of corneal stroma is beneficial to the continuous regeneration of EBM, which provides positions for stromal cells.This paper reviewed the understanding of BMs, the composition and function of EBM, the relationship between corneal EBM regeneration and corneal stroma remodeling, the influencing factors of EBM regeneration and related clinical treatment methods to discuss the influence of corneal epithelium and stroma on EBM regeneration.