Novel aspects of the ultrastructural organization of human corneal keratocytes.

Abstract

From the current study, the following conclusions can be drawn: Keratocytes are not quiescent but are highly active cells probably involved in turnover of the extracellular matrix; fenestrations may be of functional relevance with respect to facilitation of diffusion and mechanical attachment of the collagen fibers to the keratocytes; the corkscrew organization of keratocytes suggests that they form completely closed sheets of communicating cells throughout the depth of the cornea, creating equal chances for all light rays to pass one or more keratocytes and thus minimizing variation in light scattering over the entire cornea.