METABOLIC COMPATIBILITY OF ABATTOIR AND HUMAN CORNEAS - AN EX-VIVO P-31 NUCLEAR-MAGNETIC-RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPIC STUDY OF INTACT TISSUES

This study establishes the metabolic similarities and differences of i ntact abattoir corneas and the human cornea ex vivo, using P-31 nuclea r magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Phosphorylated sugars (SP), inorgan ic orthophosphate (Pi), phosphodiesters, ATP, ADP, and the nucleoside diphosphosugars and dinucleotides (NS&DN) were quantitated. The intrac orneal pH also was determined. In addition, metabolic indices ATP/Pi, ATP/ADP, ATP/(ADP + Pi), SP/Pi, the phosphorylation potential, and the P-31 energy modulus were calculated. Significant differences were obs erved between the abattoir and human corneas in phosphorylated sugars, NS&DN, and intracorneal pH, as well as in the indices ATP/ADP and SP/ Pi. The overall energy status as measured by the P-31 energy modulus w as significantly higher in the bovine cornea when compared to the porc ine and human corneas, suggestive of a very high energy reserve in the bovine cornea.