The Biomechanics of Fibrillin Microfibrils: Lessons from the Ciliary Zonule

Abstract

Marfan syndrome is an inherited connective tissue disorder that affects the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and ocular systems. It is caused by pathogenic variants in the fibrillin-1 gene (FBN1). Fibrillin is a primary component of microfibrils, which are found throughout the extracellular matrix (ECM) and provide elasticity and resilience to connective tissue. Microfibrils also play a role in signaling by sequestering growth factors and interacting with cell surface receptors. In many tissues, microfibrils are interwoven with elastin, collagens, and other elements of the ECM. However, uniquely in the ciliary zonule of the eye, microfibrils exist in cell-free bundles largely devoid of other components. This structure offers a rare opportunity to study a pure population of fibrillin microfibrils in a relatively native state. Here, we briefly review the organization of the zonule and describe recent experiments in which we measure zonular biomechanics, providing insights into microfibril dynamics that would be challenging to obtain in other contexts.