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Basement membranes are highly specialized forms of extracellular matrix and their formation is a prerequisite for normal tissue development and function.Basement membranes are important components of cornea.There are two types of basement membranes in cornea: epithelial basement membrane (EBM) and Descemet’s basement membrane (DBM). After injury, the cornea assembles and regenerates basement membranes through binding interactions among laminins, type Ⅳ collagens, nidogens and proteoglycans.Defective or delayed regeneration of basement membranes leads to corneal stromal fibrosis, while reconstruction of basement membranes structure and function contribute to the remolding of corneal stroma with restoration of partial or full corneal transparency.The repair of corneal epithelium and endothelium, irregularity of injury surface and remnants of keratocytes all affect reconstruction of basement membrane’s structure and function.This paper reviewes the components of corneal basement membranes and their functions, the associations of basement membranes and stromal fibrosis, basement membranes’ coordinating modulation of stromal fibrosis and factors associated with the regeneration of basement membranes during the corneal wound healing.
Key words:
Corneal basement membrane; Stromal fibrosis; Wound healing