Regeneration of the damaged chamber angle in rabbit
Niwa, S.; Jikihara, S.; Funahashi, M.
Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi 85(9): 1287-1297
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-0203 PMID: 7325068 Document Number: 169636
Cryoapplication (-60.degree. C .apprx. 80% C, 60 s) on the limbus and gonioincision with a goniotomy knife were used to destroy the chamber angle of pigmented rabbit eyes. The regeneration process was studied by light microscopy and EM various time intervals ranging from 1 day-3 mo. after wounding. With cryoapplication, regeneration of the corneal endothelium was dominate in the early stage. In the 2 and the 3 day stages, corneal endothelium at the margin of the wound underwent mitosis and fibroblast-like corneal endothelial cells formed multilayered cell membranes which grew toward the damaged angle and on the surface of the iris. These cells possessed a moderate number of mitochondria and rough endoplasmic reticulum in the cytoplasm. Cell junctions were occasionally found and fine collagen fibers as well as basement membranes were noted in the intercellular space. In the tissues were fibrin exudation was observed, endothelial cells were found extending on the fibrin meshwork. After 5 days, cells which were found on the Descemets membrane and on the iris showed identical structure with normal corneal endothelium. In the trabecular meshwork, fibroblasts which had abundant rough endoplasmic reticulums in the electron dense cytoplasm had proliferated. With gonioincistion, wound healing did not occur when the injury was made at the root of iris. When fibrin exudation occurred in the chamber, proliferation of the corenal endothelium was found along the surface of the fibrin meshwork. After 1 mo., formation of peripheral anterior synechia was observed in 1 of the 4 eyes with cryoapplication and 1 of the 3 eyes with gonioincision. In these tissues corneal endothelium extended on the surface of iris, and deposition of basement membrane substance was noted at the basal portion of endothelial cells. Proliferation of the corneal endothelium after damaging the angle tissue may play a leading role for the formation of anterior synechia.