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Morphology of the Pig Cornea in Normal Conditions and after Incubation in a Perfusion Apparatus

Morfologin hos grisens hornhinna under normala förhållanden och efter Inkubation i en perfusionsapparat

Abstract

The fine structure of the pig cornea in normal conditions and after being used in a perfusion apparatus, for 4 h, is described. Earlier reports on the normal morphology of the pig cornea were partly not confirmed. Thus the number of cell layers in the epithelium was found to be 19-23 (a basal cell layer, 4–5 polyhedral cell layers and 14–17 squamous cell layers) compared to earlier reported 6–9 layers.

The mean thickness of normal and perfused corneas were 722 μm and 752 μm respectively. Normal corneas had a hydration level of 77.2 % and after perfusion 78.5 %. The normal morphology and morphological changes due to exposure to perfusion were studied by light and electron microscopy. The differences observed between normal and perfused corneas have to be considered limited, and restricted mainly to the anterior squamous epithelium and the endothelium.

Taken together our results indicate that the corneas used in the apparatus still had functional integrity.

Sammanfattning

Ultra strukturen hos grisens normala cornea och förändringar i samband med 4 tim i en perfusionsapparat redovisades. Tidigare studier av grishornhinnans morfologi kunde delvis inte styrkas. Således var antalet cellager i epitelet 19–23 (1 lager basalceller, 4–5 lager polyedriska celler och 14–17 lager plattepitel celler) jämfört med tidigare rapporterade 6–9 lager.

Medeltjockleken hos normal hornhinna bestämdes till 722 μm och hos perfunderad till 752 μm. Den normala hornhinnans hydratiseringsgrad var 77.2% och efter perfusion 78.5%. Den normala morfologin och morfologiska förändringar beroende av perfusion studerades med ljus- och elektronmikroskopi. De observerade skillnaderna mellan normala och perfunderade hornhinnor kan betraktas som små och huvudsakligen begränsade till de yttre plattepitel cellerna och endotelet. Sammantaget så visar resultaten att grishomhinnans morfologi är i stort sett bibehållen efter 4 lim perfusion.

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Camber, O., Rehbinder, C., Nikkila, T. et al. Morphology of the Pig Cornea in Normal Conditions and after Incubation in a Perfusion Apparatus. Acta Vet Scand 28, 127–134 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548232

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