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Cited by 79Corneal surgery and disordersCorneal Surgery and TreatmentsOcular Surface and Contact Lens

Three-dimensional arrangement of elastic fibers in the human corneal stroma

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Lewis, Philip N., White, Tomas L., Young, Robert D., Bell, James S., Winlove, C. Peter, Meek, Keith M.·2016·Experimental Eye Research
DOI 10.1016/j.exer.2015.12.006PMC PMC4889784
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Abstract

The cornea is the main refracting lens in the eye. As part of the outer tunic it has to be resilient, a property conferred by the organisation of the constituent collagen. It also has to be sufficiently elastic to regain its exact shape when deformed, in order not to distort the retinal image. The basis of this elasticity is not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to characterise in three dimensions the arrangement and distribution of elastic fibers in the human corneal stroma, using serial block face scanning electron microscopy. We have demonstrated that there exists a complex network of elastic fibers that appear to originate in the sclera or limbus. These appear as elastic sheets in the limbus and peripheral cornea immediately above the trabecular meshwork which itself appears to extend above Descemet's membrane in the peripheral stroma. From these sheets, elastic fibers extend into the cornea; moving centrally they bifurcate and trifurcate into narrower fibers and are concentrated in the posterior stroma immediately above Descemet's membrane. We contend that elastic sheets will play an important role in the biomechanical deformation and recovery of the peripheral cornea. The network may also have practical implications for understanding the structural basis behind a number of corneal surgeries.

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  • At the centre of the cornea, elastic fibres exist as thin bundles of fibrillin-rich microfibrils.

    “whereas at the centre of the cornea, they exist as thin bundles of fibrillin-rich microfibrils.”

    From Structural control of corneal transparency, refractive power and dynamics (2025) · cites this paper as [29]

    The Discussion (page unavailable) describes thin elastic fibers extending into the central human cornea and says they likely contain fibrillin microfibrils. It does not establish that the central fibers are fibrillin-rich: their exact composition was unclear, and fibrillin-1 labelling was unsuccessful. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Elastic fibres in the limbus contain fibrillin microfibrils surrounding an elastin core.

    “in the limbus they contain fibrillin microfibrils surrounding an elastin core”

    From Structural control of corneal transparency, refractive power and dynamics (2025) · cites this paper as [29]

    The Results identify elastic fibers in the posterior limbus, and the Introduction describes true elastic fibers as having a sheath around an elastin-rich core. But the Discussion says fibrillin microfibrils in the studied fibers are only likely and that their exact molecular composition is unclear. It does not establish that limbal fibers specifically have fibrillin microfibrils surrounding an elastin core; page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Elastic fibres consist of an outer shell of fibrillin-rich microfibrils with or without an elastin central core.

    “Such fibres consist of an outer shell of fibrillin-rich microfibrils with or without an elastin central core (Fig. 8).”

    From Structural control of corneal transparency, refractive power and dynamics (2025) · cites this paper as [29]

    The Introduction (page not provided) describes ocular elastic fibers without elastin and others with a glycoprotein sheath surrounding an elastin-rich core. It also identifies fibrillin as a component of elastic microfibrils, but does not establish that the outer sheath is fibrillin-rich. The Discussion says the precise molecular composition of the human corneal fibers remains unclear. (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • SBF SEM observations revealed a region densely populated with elastic fibres arranged in a reticulated sheet pattern concentrated at the back of the human corneal stroma above the elastin-rich trabecular meshwork.

    “Our SBF SEM observations revealed that, concentrated at the back of the human corneal stroma above the elastin-rich trabecular meshwork, is a region densely populated with elastic fibres (Fig. 9A) arranged in a reticulated sheet pattern [29].”

    From Structural control of corneal transparency, refractive power and dynamics (2025) · cites this paper as [29]

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Authors
Lewis, P. N., White, T. L., Young, R. D., Bell, J. S., Winlove, C. P., & Meek, K. M.
Affiliations
  • Cardiff University (GB)
  • University of Exeter (GB)
Corresponding author
Meek, Keith M.
ORCID
Venue
Experimental Eye Research
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2016-05
Volume
146
Pages
43-53
ISSN
0014-4835 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.exer.2015.12.006
PMC
PMC4889784
OpenAlex
W2237865152
Cited by
79
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 5
FWCI
5.90
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Experimental Eye Research (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • ORCA Online Research @Cardiff (Cardiff University) (acceptedVersion)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion)
  • Open Research Exeter (University of Exeter) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
Medical Research Council
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Corneal surgery and disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Corneal Surgery and Treatments
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Ocular Surface and Contact Lens
Keywords
elastic fibers, corneal stroma, corneal biomechanics, corneal elasticity, collagen organization, limbus, Descemet's membrane, trabecular meshwork, sclera, corneal surgery
MeSH terms
Aged, Collagen, Corneal Stroma, Elastic Tissue, Female, Humans, Microscopy, Electron, Scanning, Imaging, Three-Dimensional, Microscopy, Electron, Transmission

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