Extracellular‐Matrix Mechanics Regulate the Ocular Physiological and Pathological Activities

Abstract

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a noncellular structure that plays an indispensable role in a series of cell life activities. Accumulating studies have demonstrated that ECM stiffness, a type of mechanical forces, exerts a pivotal influence on regulating organogenesis, tissue homeostasis, and the occurrence and development of miscellaneous diseases. Nevertheless, the role of ECM stiffness in ophthalmology is rarely discussed. In this review, we focus on describing the important role of ECM stiffness and its composition in multiple ocular structures (including cornea, retina, optic nerve, trabecular reticulum, and vitreous) from a new perspective. The abnormal changes in ECM can trigger physiological and pathological activities of the eye, suggesting that compared with different biochemical factors, the transmission and transduction of force signals triggered by mechanical cues such as ECM stiffness are also universal in different ocular cells. We expect that targeting ECM as a therapeutic approach or designing advanced ECM-based technologies will have a broader application prospect in ophthalmology.

Hereditary Optic Neuropathies: A Systematic Review on the Interplay between Biomaterials and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

“…Tenascins R and C, together with laminin, fibronectin, and chondroitinsulfate proteoglycans, are of great importance in the preservation of optic nerve structures and stiffness. As reviewed recently by Zhang et al [92], stiffness is of paramount importance in the transmission and transduction of force signals in all ocular cell types. On the other side, collagen mimetic peptides play a role in the protection of RGCs by restoring collagen fibrillar organization in the ECM [93] peptides obtained from the neural retina and the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) certainly helps in the maturation of photoreceptors, axon connectivity in the synapsis, and response to light when working with organoids derived from stem cells [85].…”

Squishy matters – Corneal mechanobiology in health and disease

“…7 ). Given that proliferation, morphology and differentiation are all profoundly influenced by substrate stiffness in other corneal cell types ( Petroll et al, 2020 ; Zhang et al, 2023b ), studying the impact of stiffness on the influence on corneal epithelial cell behavior is critical to understanding corneal wound healing and tissue engineering. Additionally, multiple cell culture substrates with physiologically relevant stiffness and functionalized with ECM proteins have been created to augment corneal epithelial cell adhesion, proliferation and migration ( Alauzun et al, 2010 ; Klenkler et al, 2005 , 2008 , 2010 ; Klenkler and Sheardown, 2006 ; Merrett et al, 2003 ).…”