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Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Clinical

Clinical Profile of Patients Awaiting Keratoplasty in Northern India

Editorial

Letter from the Editor

Featured Article

Corneal Cross-linking for the Treatment of Keratoconus: Laboratory Science, Clinical Effect and the Potential Impact to Eye Banking in the United States

Original Research

Tissue Processing Factors Influencing Descemet Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty Thickness and Endothelial Outcomes

Challenges in Testing Post-Mortem Blood Samples

Epithelial Desquamation, Regeneration and Renewal in Corneal Graft Prepared for Clinical Use

Corneal Cross-linking for the Treatment of Keratoconus: Laboratory Science, Clinical Effect and the Potential Impact to Eye Banking in the United States

Proceedings

Sinaloa Organ and Tissue Bank: Our Experience in Eye Banking. A 8-Year Review from 2007 through 2015

Corneal Cross-linking for the Treatment of Keratoconus: Laboratory Science, Clinical Effect and the Potential Impact to Eye Banking in the United States

Report

Specular Microscopy Image Quality Scale for Endothelial Cell Density Determination in Donor Cornea Tissue

Epithelial Desquamation, Regeneration and Renewal in Corneal Graft Prepared for Clinical Use

Authors

Michael Nicolas, PhD, Meriem Tekaya and François Majo, MD-PhD

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Introduction: Corneal epithelium has been identified as an
important element in human ocular surface homeostasis. Conservation
cycle of corneal epithelium during warm storage has
not been described. The aim of this study was to evaluate the
complete regeneration and renewal of human corneal epithelium
during the 35 days of organ culture.

Methods: Cornea maintained in organ culture were formalin-
fixed and stained with H&E at day 0 (without organ culture),
at day 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 14, 25, 29, 31, 32, 35, 56 and 90. Proliferation,
apoptosis and structure were evaluated by immunostaining
with antibody against Ki67, Caspase 3 and E-cadherin
respectively. Results: During the two first days, corneas were devoid
of their epithelium, except at the limbal region. From day 2
to day 8, regeneration of the epithelium took place, starting from
the limbal region towards the central cornea. From day 9 to day
35, corneal epithelium appeared thinner but healthy and formed.
Proliferation happened in the whole cornea during the 35 days
of organ culture, as shown by Ki67 positive cells. Apoptosis was
rarely detected in the corneal epithelium at any time point.

Conclusions: Corneas conserved in organ culture showed
a complete loss of the corneal epithelium followed by a full
regeneration originating from the limbal epithelial cells. Cornea
maintains in organ culture for more than ten days exhibit a
full regenerated epithelium, which could have, according to the
literature, an important clinical impact by reducing post-graft
complications.

Key Words: eye bank, corneal epithelium, conservation,
regeneration

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