PURPOSE To examine the possibility that ocular surface epithelial cells might be grown in culture for use as grafts. METHODS The proliferative capacity of epithelial cells cultured from the conjunctiva, limbus, and central cornea of normal human eyes was compared. Single cells disaggregated from approximately 1 mm2 biopsy specimens were serially cocultured with lethally irradiated mouse 3T3 f...

BACKGROUND To determine the effect of an ethanol-treated mid-peripheral epithelium on wound healing of the corneal epithelium. METHODS Epithelial removal was performed on 18 rabbit eyes, which were divided into three groups of six eyes each as follows: group 1, an 8.0-mm diameter treated with balanced salt solution (BSS) and an 8.0-mm removal; group 2, an 8.0-mm diameter treated with 20% etha...

PURPOSE A recent clinical report demonstrated that topical nerve growth factor (NGF) treatment in patients affected by corneal neurotrophic ulcers induced epithelial and stromal healing restoring corneal integrity. Mechanisms(s) undergoing these clinical NGF actions are still unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of NGF in human and rat cornea physiopathology. METHODS Exp...

Several cationic-amphiphilic drugs such as chloroquine and amiodarone are known to induce phospholipidosis in the cornea by systemic administration. However, the characteristics of ophthalmological and pathological changes when phospholipidosis-inducing drugs are topically applied have not been well studied. This study was conducted to investigate the characteristics of corneal changes caused b...

PU R P O S E. To assess corneal tissue modifications after riboflavin-UVA-induced cross-linking of c o rneal collagen in patients with progressive keratoconus as well as regeneration of epithelium and subepithelial nerve plexus by in vivo H RT II system confocal microscopy in humans. ME T H O D S. Ten patients with progressive keratoconus were treated by riboflavin-UVA i n d u c e d cross-linki...

We investigated the corneal morphology of adult Mp/+ mice, which are heterozygous for the micropinna microphthalmia mutation, and identified several abnormalities, which implied that corneal epithelial maintenance was abnormal. The Mp/+ corneal epithelium was thin, loosely packed and contained goblet cells in older mice. Evidence also suggested that the barrier function was compromised. However...

PURPOSE Voltage-gated K(+) channels maintain salt and water balance and normal function of corneal epithelial cells. To determine their identity, Kv channel types were sought in cultured rabbit corneal epithelial cells and in the intact rat corneal epithelium. METHODS Immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis were performed to detect K(+) channels in the membrane and cell lysates of rat ...

At least two cellular processes are required for corneal epithelium homeostasis and wound repair: cell proliferation and cell-cell adhesion. These processes are delicately balanced to ensure the maintenance of normal epithelial function. During wound healing, these processes must be reprogrammed in coordination to achieve a rapid re-epithelialization. Basonuclin (Bnc1) is a cell-type-specific t...

PURPOSE To determine the viability of corneal surface cells and to determine whether apoptosis is present in the corneal epithelium of the rabbit. METHODS The viability of epithelial surface cells was examined using a calcein-ethidium assay. In this two-color fluorescence assay, viable cells fluoresce green, and the nuclei of nonviable cells fluoresce red. The number of nonviable cells on the...