Corneal Cells: Fine-tuning Nerve Regeneration

ABSTRACT

The cornea is a transparent outermost structure of the eye anterior segment comprising the highest density of innervated tissue. In the process of corneal innervation, trigeminal ganglion originated corneal nerves diligently traverse different corneal cell types in different corneal layers including the corneal stroma and epithelium. While crossing the stromal and epithelial cell layers during innervation, due to the existing physical contacts, close interactions occur between stromal keratocytes, epithelial cells, resident immune cells and corneal nerves. Furthermore, by producing various trophic and growth factors corneal cells assist in maintaining the growth and function of corneal nerves. Similarly, corneal nerve generated growth factors critically modify the corneal cell function in all the corneal layers. Due to their close association and contacts, on-going cross-communication between these cell types and corneal nerves play a vital role in the modulation of corneal nerve function, regeneration during wound healing. The present review highlights the influence of different corneal cell types and growth factors released from these cells on corneal nerve regeneration and function.

KEYWORDS:

• Cornea
• nerves
• regeneration
• epithelial cells
• stroma
• keratocytes
• neurotrophic factors

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Sebastian Bohn, Karsten Sperlich, Thomas Stahnke, Rudolf F. Guthoff, Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Rostock, Germany and Bernd Köhler, Stephan Allgeier, Institute for Automation and Applied Informatics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.