Glycosaminoglycans in Embryonic and Postnatal Human Cornea

Abstract

Human corneas were analyzed for glycosaminoglycans during various stages of embryonic development and at different postnatal ages. The development and aging of the cornea was accompanied by a transient increase of glycosaminoglycan hexosamine up to 2 years of age and thereafter by a stepwise decrease to a value which seemed to be constant in all age groups. Keratan sulphate formed a minor part of glycosaminoglycans in fetal, premature and newborn corneas but it predominated in older corneas. The development of the cornea was characterized by a decrease in sulphation of chondroitin sulphate. No hyaluronate was found in the fetal corneas available for this study.