Corneal epithelial basement membrane assembly is mediated by epithelial cells in coordination with corneal fibroblasts during wound healing

PURPOSE: To understand which cell types, either alone or in combination, contribute to the assembly of the epithelial basement membrane (BM) during corneal wound healing. METHODS: A 3D corneal organotypic model and an in situ rabbit photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) model were used in this study. The 3D corneal organotypic model was established by culturing the rabbit corneal epithelial cells with either corneal fibroblasts or myofibroblasts embedded in collagen type I for 18 days. Corneal fibroblasts were isolated from fresh rabbit corneas, and the myofibroblasts were derived either directly from bone marrow or differentiated from corneal fibroblasts. Immunocytochemistry for alpha-smooth muscle actin (SMA), vimentin, desmin, and vinculin markers confirmed well-differentiated myofibroblasts. Immunohistochemistry was performed in cryofixed sections for BM markers, including laminin alpha-5, laminin beta-3, perlecan, nidogen-1, and collagen type IV. Specimens were also examined with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Corneas were collected from rabbits after −3 diopter (D) PRK at different time points after surgery, with four corneas at each time point in each group. Cryofixed corneal sections were stained for vimentin, alpha-SMA, and nidogen-1. RESULTS: The formation of an epithelial BM with expression of laminin alpha-5, laminin beta-3, perlecan, nidogen-1, and collagen IV was observed at the interface between the corneal epithelial cells and corneal fibroblasts. TEM images further confirmed the presence of epithelial BM in organotypic cultures of epithelial cells and corneal fibroblasts. No epithelial BM was observed in cultures of corneal epithelial cells and myofibroblasts (cornea or bone marrow derived), corneal epithelial cells alone, or corneal fibroblasts alone. In rabbit corneas after −3D PRK, a strong association was observed between the regenerating epithelial BM and the presence of corneal fibroblasts at the site of epithelial BM generation. CONCLUSIONS: The corneal epithelial BM assembly is mediated by epithelial cells in coordination with corneal fibroblasts during wound healing.