CORNEAL ENDOTHELIAL-CELL PROLIFERATION AND MIGRATION AFTER PENETRATING KERATOPLASTY IN RABBITS

The proliferation of the host endothelial cells during healing after p enetrating keratoplasty (PKP) was investigated by exchange PKP in two groups of adult rabbits. After the endothelia of group A rabbits were selectively damaged by intracameral injection of benzalkonium chloride (BAK), grabs were made and transplanted to group B, untreated normal rabbits (damaged graft group). Grafts from group B rabbit eyes had alr eady been made and these subsequently were transplanted to group A rab bits (normal grab group). Corneas were excised 4, 7, 14 and 28 days po stoperatively, labeled with H-3-thymidine and subjected to autoradioga phy. The results indicated that in corneas with grafts damaged with BA K (damaged grab group), normal host endothelial cells proliferated and migrated into the damaged graft 4 days after surgery. In the normal g raft group, the endothelial cells of the graft did not migrate to the damaged host cornea. On day 28, a monolayered apparently normal endoth elium was regenerated in the damaged grab group. These results suggest that the proliferation of host corneal endothelial cells is vital in the endothelial healing of the graft after PKP in rabbits.