title: Clinical specular microscopy. II. Qualitative evaluation of corneal endothelial photomicrographs.
abstract: The clinical specular microscope shows the morphological appearance of the endothelium in normal and abnormal corneas. This instrument resolves the endothelial mosaic of the normal cornea into a quasiregular pattern of contiguous cells having well-defined cell boundaries. Cell size varies over a wide range in a number of disorders, and endothelial cells may assume shapes that are substantially different from their usual hexagonal appearance. Cell boundaries are dark and most commonly appear as a straight, narrow line. However, other types of cell boundaries, collectively referred to as doubled boundaries, have been encountered. Cell boundaries normally intersect in a manner that results in three angles of intersection, each approximately 60 degrees, but variations from this pattern are seen. A number of noncellular structures also can be seen in the endothelial zone.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003315:Cornea / Q000166:cytology*; D004727:Endothelium / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D010784:Photomicrography / Q000295:instrumentation*