Abstract:Corneal biomechanics has become a research hotspot in recent years. The deepening of research results in a new interdisciplinary-mechanobiology. Mechanobiology is a discipline to study the relationship between mechanics and biological processes in organism at cellular, molecular, and genetic levels through mechanical principles and methods. The cornea is in a complex mechanical environment under the intraocular pressure, and various diseases and surgeries can cause changes in its stress environment. Studying biological response of corneal tissues and cells to mechanical stimuli has very important scientific and clinical significance for understanding the physiological and pathological processes of the cornea and the diagnosis and treatment of corneal related diseases. This article comprehensively describes progress in corneal mechanobiology in recent years, in order to provide new research directions and ideas for the related corneal mechanobiology research.
Ma J, Wang Y, Wei P, et al. Biomechanics and structure of the cornea: implications and association with corneal disorders. Surv Ophthalmol, 2018, 63(6): 851-861. DOI: 10.1016/ j.survophthal.2018.05.004.
[4]
Seiler T, Matallana M, Sendler S, et al. Does Bowman's layer determine the biomechanical properties of the cornea? Refract Corneal Surg, 1992, 8(2): 139-142. DOI: 10.3928/1081-597X- 19920301-08.
[5]
Shih PJ, Wang IJ, Cai WF, et al. Biomechanical Simulation of Stress Concentration and Intraocular Pressure in Corneas Subjected to Myopic Refractive Surgical Procedures. Sci Rep, 2017, 7(1): 13906. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-14293-0.
[6]
Weber IP, Rana M, Thomas PBM, et al. Effect of vital dyes on human corneal endothelium and elasticity of Descemet's membrane. PLoS One, 2017, 12(9): e0184375. DOI: 10.1371/ journal.pone.0184375.
[7]
di Martino E, Ali M, Inglehearn CF. Matrix metalloproteinases in keratoconus-too much of a good thing? Exp Eye Res, 2019, 182: 137-143. DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2019.03.016.
Jing Zhang SY, Youhua Tan, and Yan Wang. Effects of mechanical compression on cell morphology and function in human corneal fibroblasts. Current Eye Research, 2021: 1-7. DOI: 10.1080/02713683.2021.1904510.
[12]
Mikula E, Winkler M, Juhasz T, et al. Axial mechanical and structural characterization of keratoconus corneas. Exp Eye Res, 2018, 175: 14-19. DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2018.05.019.
[13]
Kamil S, Mohan RR. Corneal stromal wound healing: Major regulators and therapeutic targets. Ocul Surf, 2021, 19: 290-306. DOI: 10.1016/j.jtos.2020.10.006.
[14]
Maruri DP, Miron-Mendoza M, Kivanany PB, et al. ECM Stiffness Controls the activation and contractility of corneal keratocytes in response to TGF-β1. Biophys J, 2020, 119(9): 1865-1877. DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.08.040.
[15]
Ljubimov AV, Saghizadeh M. Progress in corneal wound healing. Prog Retin Eye Res, 2015, 49: 17-45. DOI: 10.1016/ j.preteyeres.2015.07.002.
[16]
Lityagina O, Dobreva G. The LINC Between Mechanical Forces and Chromatin. Front Physiol, 2021, 12: 710809. DOI: 10.3389/ fphys.2021.710809.
[17]
Warner H, Wilson BJ, Caswell PT. Control of adhesion and protrusion in cell migration by Rho GTPases. Curr Opin Cell Biol, 2019, 56: 64-70. DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2018.09.003.
[18]
Szasz T, Webb RC. Rho-Mancing to Sensitize Calcium Signaling for Contraction in the Vasculature: Role of Rho Kinase. Adv Pharmacol, 2017, 78: 303-322. DOI: 10.1016/ bs.apha.2016.09.001.
[19]
Wilson SE. Corneal myofibroblasts and fibrosis. Exp Eye Res, 2020, 201: 108272. DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2020.108272.
[20]
Totaro A, Panciera T, Piccolo S. YAP/TAZ upstream signals and downstream responses. Nat Cell Biol, 2018, 20(8): 888-899. DOI: 10.1038/s41556-018-0142-z.
[21]
Braun RJ, King-Smith PE, Begley CG, et al. Dynamics and function of the tear film in relation to the blink cycle. Prog Retin Eye Res, 2015, 45: 132-164. DOI: 10.1016/ j.preteyeres.2014.11.001.
[22]
Molladavoodi S, Robichaud M, Wulff D, et al. Corneal epithelial cells exposed to shear stress show altered cytoskeleton and migratory behaviour. PLoS One, 2017, 12(6): e0178981. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178981.
[23]
Hampel U, Garreis F, Burgemeister F, et al. Effect of intermittent shear stress on corneal epithelial cells using an in vitro flow culture model. Ocul Surf, 2018, 16(3): 341-351. DOI: 10.1016/ j.jtos.2018.04.005.
Masterton S, Ahearne M. Mechanobiology of the corneal epithelium. Exp Eye Res, 2018, 177: 122-129. DOI: 10.1016/ j.exer.2018.08.001.
[26]
Balasubramanian SA, Pye DC, Willcox MD. Effects of eye rubbing on the levels of protease, protease activity and cytokines in tears: Relevance in keratoconus. Clin Exp Optom, 2013, 96(2): 214-218. DOI: 10.1111/cxo.12038.
[27]
Feng P, Li X, Chen W, et al. Combined effects of interleukin-1β and cyclic stretching on metalloproteinase expression in corneal fibroblasts in vitro. Biomed Eng Online, 2016, 15(1): 63. DOI: 10.1186/s12938-016-0198-6.
[28]
Chae JJ, Shin YJ, Lee JD, et al. Nictitating membrane fixation improves stability of the contact lens on the animal corneal surface. PLoS One, 2018, 13(3): e0194795. DOI: 10.1371/ journal.pone.0194795.
[29]
Muntz A, Subbaraman LN, Sorbara L, et al. Tear exchange and contact lenses: a review. J Optom, 2015, 8(1): 2-11. DOI: 10.1016/j.optom.2014.12.001.
Downie LE, Craig JP. Tear film evaluation and management in soft contact lens wear: a systematic approach. Clin Exp Optom, 2017, 100(5): 438-458. DOI: 10.1111/cxo.12597.
[32]
Gatzioufas Z, Labiris G, Stachs O, et al. Biomechanical profile of the cornea in primary congenital glaucoma. Acta Ophthalmol, 2013, 91(1): 29-34. DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2012.02519.x.
[33]
Rossi GCM, Scudeller L, Lumini C, et al. An in vivo confocal, prospective, masked, 36 months study on glaucoma patients medically treated with preservative-free or preserved monotherapy. Sci Rep, 2019, 9(1): 4282. DOI: 10.1038/s41598- 019-41038-y.
[34]
Raghunathan VK, Thomasy SM, Strøm P, et al.Tissue and cellular biomechanics during corneal wound injury and repair. Acta Biomater, 2017, 58: 291-301. DOI: 10.1016/ j.actbio.2017.05.051.
[35]
Thomasy SM, Raghunathan VK, Miyagi H, et al. Latrunculin B and substratum stiffness regulate corneal fibroblast to myofibroblast transformation. Exp Eye Res, 2018, 170: 101- 107. DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2018.02.003.
[36]
Zareian R, Susilo ME, Paten JA, et al. Human corneal fibroblast pattern evolution and matrix synthesis on mechanically biased substrates. Tissue Eng Part A, 2016, 22(19-20): 1204-1217. DOI: 10.1089/ten.TEA.2016.0164.
[37]
Molladavoodi S, Kwon HJ, Medley J, et al. Human corneal epithelial cell response to substrate stiffness. Acta Biomater, 2015, 11: 324-332. DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2014.10.005.
Ahearne M. Introduction to cell-hydrogel mechanosensing. Interface Focus, 2014, 4(2): 20130038. DOI: 10.1098/ rsfs.2013.0038.
[40]
Glatt V, Evans CH, Tetsworth K. A concert between biology and biomechanics: the influence of the mechanical environment on bone healing. Front Physiol, 2017, 7: 678. DOI: 10.3389/ fphys.2016.00678.