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Cell kinetics of normal and healing rat corneal epithelium during organ culture
Author(s) -
Hjortdal Jesper Ø.,
Haaskjold Erling,
Sørensen Knud Erik,
Bjerknes Rolf
Publication year - 1993
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.1755-3768.1993.tb04958.x
Subject(s) - labelling , incubation , organ culture , corneal epithelium , epithelium , in vitro , cornea , chemistry , abrasion (mechanical) , incubation period , pathology , biology , andrology , anatomy , ophthalmology , medicine , biochemistry , materials science , composite material
Local epithelial proliferation in corneal, limbal, and conjunctival rat epithelium was investigated during organ culture of corneo‐scleral shells, by relating the number of tritium labelled cells to the total number of cells (labelling index). The changes in labelling index after a mechanically induced central corneal abrasion were also studied. Local labelling indices were measured 2 h, 1, 2, 4 and 7 days after incubation. The average labelling index increased in un‐abraded specimens 4‐fold after 4 days of incubation, while the total number of cells only decreased 30–50%. In eyes with a central corneal abrasion the labelling index increased 10‐fold in the surrounding epithelial cells after 1 day. The labelling index of the limbal and conjunctival epithelial cells increased to the same extent after 2 days of incubation. The finding of a reduced total number of cells and an increased cell proliferation in un‐abraded eyes may be explained by increased loss of mature cells normally producing growth‐inhibitory substances (chalones). Alternatively, the culture medium may contain an excess of growth‐stimulatory substances. The results also suggest that the proliferative response spreads in a centrifugal direction during in vitro healing of a central corneal abrasion.