The corneal endothelium is a unique tissue of the body that is a monolayer of cells lining the back surface of the cornea of the eye. The status of the corneal endothelium of the eye is of primary importance in maintaining the normal transparency of the human cornea. As a result of trauma or disease this cell layer can malfunction and this can result in corneal blindness. Clinical specular microscopy, originally developed in this laboratory, provides a non-invasive clinical method to evaluate the corneal endothelium in normal and diseased corneas and to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of corneal disease. With specular microscopy a variety of changes whose interpretation is uncertain are seen in the corneal endothelium of patients having corneal endothelial problems. In addition, the mechanisms by which the corneal endothelium recovers from trauma are poorly understood. Only in the past year has our laboratory shown that human adult corneal endothelial cells can undergo coalescence and (presumably) cell division processes that were previously thought to be unlikely. In order to be better able to treat patients with corneal endothelial problems more information is needed concerning the nature of corneal endothelial wound healing. This proposal has the goals of developing efficient models for studying corneal endothelial wound healing, of determining the nature and mechanisms of corneal endothelial wound healing, and of determining the nature of the morphological changes that are seen by specular microscopy during healing of the corneal endothelium.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01EY001227-12
Application #
3255813
Study Section
Visual Sciences A Study Section (VISA)
Project Start
1976-07-01
Project End
1992-11-30
Budget Start
1988-12-01
Budget End
1992-11-30
Support Year
12
Fiscal Year
1989
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Boston University
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
604483045
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02118
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Shimazaki, J; Tsubota, K; Hayashi, K et al. (1993) Distribution of autofluorescence in the rabbit corneal epithelium. Ophthalmic Res 25:220-5
Laing, R A; Chiba, K; Tsubota, K et al. (1992) Metabolic and morphologic changes in the corneal endothelium. The effects of potassium cyanide, iodoacetamide, and ouabain. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 33:3315-24
Tsubota, K; Laing, R A (1992) Glycolytic oscillation and effect of metabolic inhibitor on rat lens. Jpn J Ophthalmol 36:265-72
Lindstrom, R L; Kaufman, H E; Skelnik, D L et al. (1992) Optisol corneal storage medium. Am J Ophthalmol 114:345-56
Feig, S; Harting, J K (1992) Ultrastructural studies of the primate parabigeminal nucleus: electron microscopic autoradiographic analysis of the tectoparabigeminal projection in Galago crassicaudatus. Brain Res 595:334-8
Tsubota, K; Laing, R A (1992) Metabolic changes in the corneal epithelium resulting from hard contact lens wear. Cornea 11:121-6
Gerding Jr, P A; McLaughlin, S A; Brightman, A H et al. (1990) Effects of intracameral injection of viscoelastic solutions on corneal endothelium in dogs. Am J Vet Res 51:1086-8
Oak, S S; Laing, R A; Chiba, K et al. (1989) Thermal cycling effects on the stored rabbit cornea. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 30:1584-7

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