Elastic and related fibres in the normal cornea and limbus of the domestic cat
Carrington, S.D.; Alexander, R.A.; Grierson, I.
Journal of Anatomy 139: 319-332
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-8782 PMID: 6490521 Document Number: 239035
The presence of elastic and related fibers in the corneal and limbal tissues of the domestic cat is described. Various ages of animal from birth to maturity were studied by light microscopy and EM. Oxytalan fibers were present throughout the newborn kitten corneas. They were seen in greatest concentration both at the junction of the posterior limiting lamina with the inner substantia propria and beneath the peripheral anterior epithelium. With increasing maturity, oxytalan fibers disappeared from all but the most peripheral parts of the cornea where some of the, by now, thicker oxytalen fibers had matured into elaunin. All ages of animals studied showed an abrupt increase in fiber thickness and numbers at the corneal limbus. Oxytalan fibers predominated in the newborn kitten limbus but material from adult animals showed an increased proportion of elaunin fibers. Occasional elastic fibers were also seen in the more superficial region of the adult limbus. An overall decrease in elastic fiber types with increasing maturity was most obvious in the middle limbal layers.