翼状胬肉是常见的眼表疾病，其病因和发病机制非常复杂，目前尚未有一种学说能完全解释其病理过程，翼状胬肉的治疗目前也只能通过手术切除。我们之前的研究发现，翼状胬肉头端基质内出现异常脂类沉积，近年来也有报道发现翼状胬肉基质细胞脂类代谢异常，但脂类代谢如何参与翼状胬肉的发生发展，其机制仍不明了。本项目将以翼状胬肉组织标本以及转基因鼠为研究对象，系统研究翼状胬肉发生发展过程中角膜缘及结膜局部的脂类代谢情况，从细胞学和体内水平观察脂类代谢异常对结膜上皮细胞、基质细胞以及角膜缘微环境的影响，探讨巨噬细胞介导的脂类清除过程在翼状胬肉发生发展中的作用。本项目将从一个全新的角度揭示翼状胬肉的病理生理过程和发病机制,为寻找翼状胬肉的药物治疗靶点奠定基础。

Pterygium is a common ocular surface disease with complicated etiology and pathogenesis. Till now there is no single theory can interpret the pathophysiology process of this disease. Currently, surgery is the only effective treatment of pterygium. Our previous priliminary study showed that there was abnormal lipid deposit in the stroma of pterygium head. Recently there were reports about the abnormal lipid metabolism of the pterygium stromal cells, however, how lipid metabolism affect the pathogenesis and development of pterygium remains elusive. In this project, we will apply human pterygium samples and transgenic mice as objects to systemically study the lipid metabolism in corneal limbus and conjunctiva during pterygium pathogenesis. We will also investigate the effect of abnormal lipid metabolism on conjunctival epithelial cells, stromal cells, as well as limbal microenviroment using cell culture model and in vivo animal model. Furthermore, the effect of macrophage guided lipid transfer process on pterygium pathogenesis will also be determined. In summary, this project is designed to reveal the pathophysiology process and mechanism in a new angle, and we hope it may lay the foundation of future study on searching the medicine therapy target of pterygium.