Noninvasive metabolic analysis of cultured corneas
Tsubota, K.; Chiba, K.; Laing, R.A.; Kenyon, K.R.
Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi 92(8): 1321-1326
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-0203 PMID: 3195389 Document Number: 318519
Non-invasive assessment of the metabolic status of cultured corneas prior to their consideration for use as donor tissue would provide a major improvement in the evaluation of eye bank tissue. We have developed methods for performing such an assessment using the method of corneal redox fluorometry. Using this method, the autofluorescence of reduced pyridine nucleotides (PN) and oxidized flavoproteins (Fp) were measured as a function of storage time in rabbit corneal endothelium stored in McCarey-Kaufman medium. The PN/Fb ratio is related to the metabolic status of the tissue measured. It was found that the PN/Fb ratio changed dramatically during storage showing that the metabolic state was significantly changing during the storage period. The PN/FP ratio stayed within the original level up to 1 week and then decreased significantly at 2 and 3 weeks observation period. The transmission electron microscopic pictures of these corneas supported the redox fluorometric findings showing abnormal endothelium only at 2 and 3 weeks observation period.