Figure 5.

Schematic diagram of the effect of Descemet's membrane removal on myofibroblast development and fibrosis in the posterior corneal stroma. Removal of Descemet's membrane from the central cornea results in dysregulation of TGFβ entry into the posterior stroma from the aqueous humor. Increased levels of TGFβ binds to keratocytes and triggers their development into corneal fibroblasts and subsequently into myofibroblasts. Simultaneously, fibrocytes enter the cornea from the limbal blood vessels and are also driven by increased levels of TGFβ to develop into myofibroblasts. Myofibroblasts from both progenitors excrete disordered extracellular matrix that results in posterior corneal fibrosis.