DIFFERENCES IN PROLIFERATION AND MIGRATION OF CORNEAL EPITHELIAL-CELLS AFTER CELL TRANSPLANTATION IN-VITRO

For regular function the human cornea requires an intact endothelial c ell layer with a sufficiently high cell density. One approach used to compensate endothelial cell loss is transplantation of cultured cornea l endothelial cells. Using a previously described trans plantation pro tocol, we observed topographic differences after transplantation of cu ltured human corneal endothelial cells to recipient corneas previously denuded of their own endothelium. The results presented in this paper suggest different interactions of the transplanted endothelial cells with the central or the peripheral part of the corneal matrix, respect ively. Furthermore, cells isolated from the center of a human cornea d iffer from those isolated from the periphery in terms of their mitogen ic capacity, The significance of these observations for corneal endoth elial cell transplantation is discussed.