Corneal wound healing and the Notch signaling pathway

The Notch signaling pathway plays an important role in cell fate and homeostasis.Various studies have proved that the Notch signaling pathway has strong effects on corneal wound healing and the maintenance of corneal homeostasis.Limbal stem cells inhibit differentiation and proliferation by inhibiting the Notch signaling pathway.Physiologic downregulation promotes cell migration and wound coverage in the early stage of corneal epithelial repair, and physiologic upregulation in the late stage of corneal epithelial repair is related to preventing excessive stratification of corneal epithelial cells and maintaining cell differentiation.Fibrosis is correlated with Notch after corneal stromal injury.The Notch signaling pathway is directly involved in the endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition induced by transforming growth factor-β after corneal endothelial injury.In addition, there are interactions between the Notch signaling pathway and 14-3-3 sigma, epidermal growth factor receptor, Sirt6, microRNA, and matrix metalloproteinases in maintaining corneal epithelial homeostasis, corneal epithelial differentiation, corneal stromal excessive inflammatory response, corneal neovascularization, etc.This review summarizes the function of the Notch signaling pathway in corneal wound healing.

Corneal disease; Repair; Regeneration; Signaling transduction; Notch signaling pathway