Alterations in the corneal surface relief and the activity of lysosomes in the course of experimental herpetic keratitis in rabbits
Maichuk YuF; Kasavina, B.S.; Dalgat, L.D.; Mironov, V.A.
Metabolic and Pediatric Ophthalmology 5(3-4): 155-160
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0191-2771 PMID: 6796790 Document Number: 172840
To study characteristic features of the relief of the normal cornea and during experimental herpetic keratitis in rabbits, replicas of the corneal surface were examined by scanning electron microscopy. The normal cornea is characterized by a smooth relief. When affected by keratitis the cornea exhibits characteristic pits and furrows indicative of a particular stage of the cornea's epithelium lesion. The concomitant biochemical investigations have demonstrated that the disturbance in the permeability of the lysosome membranes and a change in the activity of their enzymes is correlated with the intensity of the damage to the cornea's relief. At issue is the role of lysosomic hydrolases in the disturbance of integrity of cell elements in the cornea's epithelium affected by keratitis.