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Ocular immune system protects the eye from infection and regulates healing processes following injuries. The interior of the eye lacks lymph vessels but is highly vascularized, and many immune cells reside in the uvea, including mostly macrophages, dendritic cells, and mast cells.
Innate Immunity at the Ocular Surface Function of the Innate Immune System
Innate immunity aims at the detection and destruction of microbial pathogens. To do so effectively, it relies on a limited number of conserved and genetically determined receptors that work alone or in combination with innate effector cells, mainly phagocytes. Pattern recognition receptors are able to bind to pathogen-associated molecular patterns on microbes such as lipopolysaccharides, flagellin, and CpG-DNA etc. and initiate respective immune responses. Innate immune responses defend against pathogens and toxin in a non-discriminatory manner. They provide an inherent barrier against corneal infection while also serving as a primary mode of defense that is present from birth. For instance, the orbit and the eyelid can guard against both traumatic events [4] and exterior debris that may contain microorganisms. Other components of the ocular innate immune system include tears, epithelial cells, keratocytes, corneal nerves, the complement system, and interferons
Toll-Like Receptors;
-Different Toll-like receptors (TLR) are present in the mouse eye and induce the secretion of CXC chemokines which leads to neutrophil recruitment, a possible mechanism of corneal pathology in early stages of microbial infection. -Following bacterial exposure, TLR induces inflammation on human corneal cells. Then, cells of the ocular surface secrete inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and IL-8). Other results may point into a different direction because it was found that although TLR2, TLR3 and TLR4 occur in human corneal epithelial cells, they do not induce inflammatory immune responses to lipopolysaccharides as a potential mechanism to prevent constant ocular surface inflammation.
The eye-associated lymphoid tissue (EALT) is the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue for immune protection of the ocular surface and its mucosal adnexa. It is anatomically continuous from the lacrimal gland throughout the conjunctiva- and lacrimal drainage-associated lymphoid tissue (i.e. CALT and LDALT, respectively). It consists of a diffuse lymphoid tissue of T lymphocytes and IgA-secreting plasma cells, including accessory leukocyte populations in all organs and of lymphoid follicles in conjunctiva- and lacrimal drainage-associated lymphoid tissue . Protective as well as aggressive factors inside the tear film, which connects the different parts of the ocular surface and protects it from the external environment, are a major component of ocular surface immunity.
b-Corneal keratocytes
Keratocytes are flattened cells found dispersed within the corneal stroma. The primary role of this sparse population of cells is thought to be in maintaining the extracellular matrix of collagen lamellae that surround them. However, keratocytes also play a defensive role during pathogenic invasion. They can be influenced by IL-1 (secreted by corneal epithelial cells) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- to produce both IL-6 and defensins. Of these, the former is found to combine synergistically with other interleukins to increase co-stimulation of other immune aspects as well as increase antibody secretion. The latter, defensins, have a wide range of antimicrobial affects against bacteria, fungi, and viruses, as well as effects in accelerating healing of damaged epithelial cells.
c-Corneal nerves
Corneal nerves serve as a form of defense by detecting the presence of foreign bodies on the corneal surface. This leads to reflexive reactions such as increased lacrimal secretion, blinking, and release of neuropeptides, which can induce cytokine activation .
of toxic mediators such as myeloperoxidase, which is able to kill pathogens such as Acanthamoeba cysts.