Single-Cell Transcriptomics Shows Cellular Heterogeneity, Intercellular Communication, and Extracellular Matrix Remodeling in Corneal Fibrosis In Vivo.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Corneal fibrosis is a common clinical condition post ocular trauma/infection affecting 7% of world's population. This study characterized fibroblast heterogeneity, cellular trajectories, intercellular communications, and extracellular matrix (ECM) protein remodeling in fibrotic cornea in vivo via single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq).

Methods

Naïve and alkali-injured fibrotic corneas of New Zealand White rabbits were obtained under approved institutional animal use and care protocol. Multimodal in vivo eye imaging, single-cell RNA-sequencing, hematoxylin and eosin staining, and immunofluorescence analyzed corneas. Unsupervised clustering, subclustering of ECM remodeling cells, trajectory inference, CellChat-based intercellular communication mapping, and R-programmin

SUBMITTER: Kumar R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12577772 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature