Recovery of Corneal Endothelial Cells from Periphery after Injury.

Sang Ouk Choi,Young Joo Shin,Tae-Young Chung,Joon Young Hyon,Yun-Jung Oh,Hyun Sun Jeon,Jeong Won Kim,Won Ryang Wee,Alexander V Ljubimov

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0138076

Abstract

BackgroundWound healing of the endothelium occurs through cell enlargement and migration. However, the peripheral corneal endothelium may act as a cell resource for the recovery of corneal endothelium in endothelial injury.AimTo investigate the recovery process of corneal endothelial cells (CECs) from corneal endothelial injury.MethodsThree patients with unilateral chemical eye injuries, and 15 rabbit eyes with corneal endothelial chemical injuries were studied. Slit lamp examination, specular microscopy, and ultrasound pachymetry were performed immediately after chemical injury and 1, 3, 6, and 9 months later. The anterior chambers of eyes from New Zealand white rabbits were injected with 0.1 mL of 0.05 N NaOH for 10 min (NaOH group). Corneal edema was evaluated at day 1, 7, and 14. Vital staining was performed using alizarin red and trypan blue.ResultsSpecular microscopy did not reveal any corneal endothelial cells immediately after injury. Corneal edema subsided from the periphery to the center, CEC density increased, and central corneal thickness decreased over time. In the animal study, corneal edema was greater in the NaOH group compared to the control at both day 1 and day 7. At day 1, no CECs were detected at the center and periphery of the corneas in the NaOH group. Two weeks after injury, small, hexagonal CECs were detected in peripheral cornea, while CECs in mid-periphery were large and non-hexagonal.ConclusionsCECs migrated from the periphery to the center of the cornea after endothelial injury. The peripheral corneal endothelium may act as a cell resource for the recovery of corneal endothelium.

Highlights

The corneal endothelium lines the posterior surface of the cornea and faces the anterior chamber [1]
Corneal edema subsided from the periphery to the center, Corneal endothelial cells (CECs) density increased, and central corneal thickness decreased over time
CECs migrated from the periphery to the center of the cornea after endothelial injury

Summary

Introduction

The corneal endothelium lines the posterior surface of the cornea and faces the anterior chamber [1]. Corneal endothelial cells (CECs) are monolayers of closely interdigitated hexagonal cells arranged in a mosaic pattern [1,2], which play an essential role in maintaining corneal deturgescence and transparency [1]. They control the active transport of fluid out of the cornea via the activity of the Na+/K+-ATPase and the bicarbonate-dependent Mg2+-ATPase ion pump resulting in stromal deturgescence [1,3,4]. In contrast to the corneal epithelium, wound healing of the endothelium occurs mainly through cell enlargement and migration [1,5,7]. The peripheral corneal endothelium may act as a cell resource for the recovery of corneal endothelium in endothelial injury

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