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Peptidergic and catecholaminergic fibers in the human corneal epithelium
Author(s) -
Ueda Shunsuke,
Cerro Manuel,
LoCascio Joseph A.,
Aquavella James V.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.1989.tb07098.x
Subject(s) - catecholaminergic , calcitonin gene related peptide , plexus , nerve plexus , epithelium , pathology , anatomy , free nerve ending , ganglion , biology , electron microscope , corneal epithelium , chemistry , neuropeptide , medicine , endocrinology , dopamine , biochemistry , physics , receptor , optics
Innervation of the clinically normal human corneal epithelium was investigated utilizing immunohistochemical and electron microscopic techniques. All corneal epithelial sheets examined demonstrated neuron specific enolase (NSE: a non‐specific marker for neural elements), calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP: a putative marker for sensory fibers), and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH: a marker for catecholaminergic nerves) immu‐noreactive fibers. NSE, CGRP, and TH fibers formed a dense basal epithelial plexus. The CGrp fibers tended to have beaded profiles, while TH fibers were smooth. Numerous free nerve endings originating from the basal epithelial plexus og NSE and CGRP fibers terminated throughout the thickness of epithelium. The densities of fibers in the basal epithelial nerve plexus were: NSE > CGRP > TH. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated two types of epithelial nerve fibers, one containing large dense‐core vesicles and another small dense‐core visicles. Both types contained clear vesicles. These large and small dense‐core vesicle fibers appeared to correspond to the CGRP and TH immunoreactive fibers, respectively. These results provide morphological baseline data on the normal sensory and sympathetic corneal epithelial innervation.