TY - JOUR
T1 - Morphological evaluation of normal human corneal epithelium..
AU - Ehlers, Niels
AU - Heegaard, Steffen
AU - Hjortdal, Jesper Østergaard
AU - Ivarsen, Anders
AU - Nielsen, Kim
AU - Prause, Jan Ulrik
PY - 2010/12
Y1 - 2010/12
N2 - Purpose: The human corneal epithelium is usually described as a 50-μ-thick layer of regular stratified squamous non-keratinized cells with a thickness of 5-7 cells. The purpose of this study is systemically to revisit the histopathological appearance of 100 corneas. Methods: 5-μ-thick sections of corneas from 100 consecutively selected paraffin-embedded eyes were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS). All specimens were evaluated by light microscopy. The eyes were enucleated from patients with choroidal melanoma. Corneas were considered to be normal. Results: Ninety of 100 eyes were evaluated. The central epithelial, stromal and total corneal thickness was measured as 36.0 μ, 618 μ and 651 μ, respectively, with a variation coefficient from 0.21 to 0.22. Pathological appearances were found in 27% of corneas, including thickened basement membrane and alterations in Bowman's membrane. No intraepithelial microcysts, as found in Meesmann corneal dystrophy, were observed. Conclusion: The total corneal thickness was higher than reported in in vivo studies and with a wider variation. This may be an effect of uncontrolled swelling and dehydration during preparation. The high number of pathological observations suggests that 'normal' eyes harbour and potentially accumulate considerable pathology. Journal compilation
AB - Purpose: The human corneal epithelium is usually described as a 50-μ-thick layer of regular stratified squamous non-keratinized cells with a thickness of 5-7 cells. The purpose of this study is systemically to revisit the histopathological appearance of 100 corneas. Methods: 5-μ-thick sections of corneas from 100 consecutively selected paraffin-embedded eyes were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS). All specimens were evaluated by light microscopy. The eyes were enucleated from patients with choroidal melanoma. Corneas were considered to be normal. Results: Ninety of 100 eyes were evaluated. The central epithelial, stromal and total corneal thickness was measured as 36.0 μ, 618 μ and 651 μ, respectively, with a variation coefficient from 0.21 to 0.22. Pathological appearances were found in 27% of corneas, including thickened basement membrane and alterations in Bowman's membrane. No intraepithelial microcysts, as found in Meesmann corneal dystrophy, were observed. Conclusion: The total corneal thickness was higher than reported in in vivo studies and with a wider variation. This may be an effect of uncontrolled swelling and dehydration during preparation. The high number of pathological observations suggests that 'normal' eyes harbour and potentially accumulate considerable pathology. Journal compilation
U2 - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2009.01610.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2009.01610.x
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 21114634
SN - 1755-375X
VL - 88
SP - 858
EP - 861
JO - Acta Ophthalmologica
JF - Acta Ophthalmologica
IS - 8
ER -