Fig 2: Proposed wound-healing mechanisms in PBK. The presence, distribution and the hypothesized bindings and effects of tenascin-C, matrilin-2 and aggrecan. aSMA = alpha smooth muscle actin, BMP7 = bone morphogenic factor 7, CTGF = connective tissue growth factor, EGF = epidermal growth factor, FGF-2= fibroblast growth factor 2, HA = hyaluron acid, IGF-1 = insulin-like growth factor 1, IGF-2 = insulin-like growth factor 2, IL-1 = interleukin-1, KGF = keratocyte growth factor, MATN2 = matrilin-2, TGF-ß = transforming growth factor beta, and TNC = tenascin-C. Green arrows with black contour = positive trigger, red arrows with black contour = inhibition, and green line = bounding.

Fig 3: The average immunointensity of tenascin-C, matrilin-2 and aggrecan in normal controls, PBK and FECD groups. PBK = pseudophakic bullous keratopathy, FECD = Fuchs’ endothelial corneal dystrophy. Scale bar and colour mark indicates the average immunointensity of the investigated ECM proteins.

Fig 4: Matrilin-2 immunohistochemistry. Control cornea with minimal immunopositivity in the epithelium and endothelium and unstained stroma (a). Moderate epithelial immuno-expression in PBK and the rest of the tissue is unstained (b). FECD specimen also disclosed moderate epithelial staining and minimal stromal positivity is present in the posterior area (asterisk) (c). Epithelial signal intensity (insets). Scale bar refers to 100 µm.

Fig 5: Proposed wound-healing mechanisms in FECD. The presence, distribution and the hypothesized bindings and effects of tenascin-C, matrilin-2 and aggrecan. aSMA = alpha smooth muscle actin, BMP7 = bone morphogenic factor 7, CTGF = connective tissue growth factor, EGF = epidermal growth factor, FGF-2 = fibroblast growth factor 2, HA = hyaluron acid, IGF-1 = insulin-like growth factor 1, IGF-2 = insulin-like growth factor 2, IL-1 = interleukin-1, KGF = keratocyte growth factor, MATN2 = matrilin-2, TGF-ß = transforming growth factor beta, and TNC = tenascin-C. Green arrows with black contour = positive trigger, red arrows with black contour = inhibition, and green line = bounding.