Fine structure of the interface between the anterior limiting lamina and the anterior stromal fibrils of the human cornea

The purpose of this study was to use transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to investigate further the ultrastructural details of the collagen fibrils linking the anterior limiting lamina (ALL; Bowman’s membrane) of the human cornea to the anterior stromal lamellae. Six disease-free corneas from donors aged 42 to 82 years were fixed (2% glutaraldehyde in 80 mM sodium cacodylate) and processed for TEM within 72 hours postmortem. A series of overlapping images, at 10,204× magnification, of the central corneal ALL–stroma interface were assembled. The features of the terminal ends of fibril bundles at the interface with the anterior stroma were quantitatively assessed.