Anterior limiting lamina

The layer immediately beneath the corneal epithelium (basal membrane of the corneal epithelium) presents certain characteristics which have led some anatomists to regard it as a distinct membrane, and it has been named the anterior limiting lamina (anterior elastic lamina; amina elastica anterior; anterior limiting layer; Bowman's membrane).

It differs, however, from the posterior elastic lamina, in presenting evidence of fibrillar structure, and in not having the same tendency to curl inward, or to undergo fracture, when detached from the other layers of the cornea. It consists of extremely closely interwoven fibrils, similar to those found in the substantia propria, but contains no corneal corpuscles. It may be regarded as a condensed part of the substantia propria.