Interleukin-1 receptor and glucocorticoid receptor messenger ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequences coding for the corresponding proteins were detected in corneal epithelium, stromal fibroblast, and endothelial cells using the polymerase chain reaction and hot blotting. Identification of interleukin-1 receptor mRNA in each of the three major cell types of the cornea suggests that interleukin-1 alpha has autocrine and/or paracrine roles in the cornea, since previous studies have found that interleukin-1 alpha mRNA is produced in corneal epithelial, stromal fibroblast, and endothelial cells. Further investigation is needed to determine the functions regulated by the interleukin-1 receptor and glucocorticoid receptor in the cornea and the role of each in corneal wound healing.