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REVIEW article
Front. Cell Dev. Biol.
Sec. Signaling
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fcell.2025.1561324
This article is part of the Research Topic Glycocalyx in Ocular Health and Diseases View all 3 articles
Ocular surface glycocalyx in health and disease
Provisionally accepted- 1 Department of Ophthalmology, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, United States
- 2 Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Chapman University, Irvine, United States
The glycocalyx is a dynamic carbohydrate-enriched structure that forms a dense coating on the surface of animal cells, including those at the ocular surface. It plays a critical role in maintaining cellular functions and it has a significant influence in disease processes. At the ocular surface, glycoproteins such as mucins are essential for hydration, lubrication, and barrier protection.Proteoglycans and glycolipids contribute to cell signaling, and mediate interactions with pathogens. Alterations in the glycocalyx are implicated in a spectrum of ocular conditions, including dry eye disease, ocular allergies, infections, and systemic diseases such as GVHD and diabetes mellitus. Research has revealed alterations in mucin expression and aberrant glycosylation but many aspects of how these alterations contribute to disease processes remain poorly understood. Advancing our knowledge of glycocalyx composition and function offers valuable insights into the pathophysiology of ocular surface diseases and presents opportunities for novel glycocalyx-targeted therapeutic strategies to mitigate disease progression and enhance patient care. This review explores the current knowledge on the composition and functions of the ocular surface glycocalyx, emphasizing its implications in ocular surface disease.
Keywords: Glycocalyx, Ocular surface, Glycosylation, Membrane-associated mucin, Dry eye disease, Infection, GvHD
Received: 15 Jan 2025; Accepted: 12 Mar 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Martinez-Carrasco and Sharma. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Rafael Martinez-Carrasco, Department of Ophthalmology, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, United States
Ajay Sharma, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Chapman University, Irvine, United States
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.