PURPOSE Corneal endothelium in vivo is arrested in G1, the phase of the cell cycle that prepares cells for DNA synthesis. In many cell types, transforming factor (TGF)-beta inhibits proliferation by inducing G1-phase arrest. Evidence indicates that corneal endothelial cells synthesize mRNA for TGF-beta1 and are also bathed in aqueous humor that contains TGF-beta2 (mainly in a latent form). As s...

Purpose. To elucidate the pattern of donor and recipient endothelial cell populations in transplanted human corneas and determine the degree to which donor endothelial cells survive in the graft. Methods. Thirty-six corneal grafts were collected from recipients of opposite sex to the donor, at the time of retransplantation for various indications. Cells from the endothelial side of the grafts w...

Human corneal endothelial cells (HCECs) do not replicate after wounding. Therefore, corneal endothelial deficiency can result in irreversible corneal edema. Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) allows selective replacement of the diseased corneal endothelium. However, DSAEK requires a donor cornea and the worldwide shortage of corneas limits its application. This review...

PURPOSE To present a case of corneal toxicity following exposure to milky plant latex from Asclepias tuberosa. METHODS A 70-year-old female presented with blurred vision and pain in her left eye after handling an Ascepias tuberosa. Clinical examination revealed a corneal stromal oedema with small epithelial defects. The corneal endothelium was intact and folds in Descemets membrane were obser...

PURPOSE To report the observation of a triple corneal dystrophy association consisting of keratoconus (KC), epithelial basement membrane corneal dystrophy (EBMCD) and Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD). METHODS A 55-year-old male patient was referred to our cornea service for blurred vision and recurrent foreign body sensation. He reported bilateral recurrent corneal erosions with di...

PURPOSE The zinc finger transcription factor Zeb1 binds to E-box-like sequences and is important for maintaining repression of epithelial specification genes in vivo. Overexpression of Zeb1 in cancer triggers epithelial-mesenchymal transition, which facilitates metastasis. The mutation of ZEB1 in humans is linked to posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy (PPCD), in which an epithelial transit...

In recent years, endothelial keratoplasty has been commonly used as an alternative to penetrating keratoplasty as a surgical treatment for corneal endothelial pathologies. The most common form of endothelial keratoplasty is Descemet membrane stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK), which involves stripping the host’s Descemet membrane and endothelium and replacing them with donor p...

Functional impairment of the human corneal endothelium can lead to corneal blindness. In order to meet the high demand for transplants with an appropriate human corneal endothelial cell density as a prerequisite for corneal function, several tissue engineering techniques have been developed to generate transplantable endothelial cell sheets. These approaches range from the use of natural membra...