Fig. 47. A case of fibrous ingrowth. A. Fibrous tissue reaction is the major component of wound repair of most tissue. Reactive fibroblasts will produce extracellular matrix usually containing collagen. The fibroblasts are also capable of taking on characteristics of smooth muscle cells. The fibroblasts contract and modulate the collagenous scaffolding previously produced. In most cases, this causes closure of a wound. In this case, fibrous tissue is present in the anterior and posterior chambers following complicated limbal wound healing. In the eye, however, the contraction of a fibrous membrane in the anterior and posterior chambers has caused significant functional distortion. (Hematoxylin-eosin stain; A, × 6; B, × 16.)