Collagen synthesis by cultures of stromal cells from normal human and keratoconus corneas.

Keratoconus is a disease which thins and scars the central cornea. Confluent cultures of corneal stromal cells were derived from patients with keratoconus. The collagen synthesized by these cultures was compared to the collagen synthesized by age-matched normal human corneal stromal cultures. Although the amount of collagen and the types of collagen synthesized were similar, relative proportion of type I collagen and A, B chains produced was significantly altered in keratoconus cultures. The DEAE-cellulose chromatograms of procollagen in the medium fraction were different, not only between normal control and keratoconus cultures but also among keratoconus patients.