PURPOSE The maintenance of stromal hydration by the corneal endothelium relies on active transendothelial anion transport, with bicarbonate and chloride the major anions carrying the current. However, the ion transport pathways that operate to maintain stromal hydration have yet to be fully elucidated. METHODS We used RT-PCR to identify the gene expression profile of members of the ClC family...

PURPOSE To determine the relative expression of cell cycle-association proteins in human corneal and limbal epithelium and corneal endothelium in situ, to correlate staining patterns of cell cycle-associated proteins with known proliferative status of corneal and limbal epithelial cells, and to determine the relative proliferative status of corneal endothelial cells in situ by comparing their s...

Measurements of oxygen profiles across the cornea, aqueous humor, and anterior lens differed from previously calculated values. The aqueous humor oxygen tension in paiticular also differed from previously measured values, being approximately 20 mm. Hg higher. Reasons for these differences are discussed. The tissue oxygen gradients measured confirm the high Qos of lenticular and corneal epitheli...

AIMS To investigate the frequency of corneal guttata in patients with a corneal dystrophy resulting from an Arg124His (R124H) mutation of betaig-h3 gene. METHODS Slit lamp examination was performed on 30 eyes with corneal dystrophy from a genetically confirmed betaig-h3 R124H mutation and on 50 age matched control eyes. The stage of the corneal dystrophy was classified as stage 0, I, or II an...

The rabbit corneal endothelium phagocytized polystyrene spheres 0.5 Mm in diameter. After phagocytizing spheres, the endothelium degenerated, and lost from the Descemet's membrane. Lysosomal enzyme activities of the endotheliumDescemet's membrane complex, such as acid phosphatase, /?-glucuronidase and N-acetyl-/?-D-glucosaminidase, were assayed and the total activities per microgram DNA were al...

OBJECTIVE/METHOD A 50-year-old hyperopic woman requested information about refractive surgery. Vesicle and band lesions at Descemet's membrane and endothelium were suggestive of posterior polymorphous dystrophy (PPD). Lower than normal endothelial cell densities were detected. A corneal refractive procedure was not recommended in this case. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS The presence of vesicles and ban...

The authors report the successful in vitro growth of human corneal endothelium derived from 12 of 31 corneal-scleral rims obtained following corneal transplantation. The average age of donors whose endothelium grew was 17.6 +/- 3.2 years. The average interval between death and culturing was 51.5 +/- 10.1 hr. The cells migrated from the explants within 3-7 days and were characterized by a flatte...

The corneal thickness was measured by pachometry and the corneal endothelium was photographed by specular microscopy in 81 insulin-dependent juvenile diabetic outpatients. The corneal thickness of a normal group, diabetics without and with proliferative retinopathy was (mean +/- SD): 0.527 +/- 0.028, 0.544 +/- 0.028, and 0.566 +/- 0.027 mm, respectively (2p less than 0.01). As revealed in the s...

SUMMARY: The successful outcome of the majority of corneal transplants depends on the presence of a viable corneal endothelium. This monolayer of cells lines the inner surface of the cornea and its primary function is to maintain corneal transparency by controlling the hydration of the collagenous stromal layer. Since human corneal endothelial cells do not readily proliferate, preservation of t...

The corneas of all animal species remain transparent because of the epithelial barrier, the stromal latticelike arrangement of the collagen fibrils, and the endothelial cells. Depending on the species, the corneal epithelium, the corneal endothelium, or both have a major role in regulating corneal hydration. The ultimate goal is for the cornea to remain transparent and to provide the major refr...