[An experimental study on corneal nerve regeneration after penetrating keratoplasty with long-term cryopreserved rabbit corneas].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the morphology of rabbit corneal nerve regeneration in the grafts after penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) with long-term cryopreserved homogeneous donor material.


METHODS
Both long-term cryopreserved and short-term moist-chamber preserved fresh rabbit corneas were applied in the keratoplasty. By means of glyoxylic-acid induced fluorescence (GIF) and acetylcholine esterase (AChE) staining histochemical techniques, the morphological features of adrenergic and cholinergic nerve regeneration were monitored under light microscope in those grafts from ten days to eight months after surgery.


RESULTS
During various intervals, the morphological changes of neural reinnervation were similar in the two groups, and numerous subepithelial nerves that showed random changes in direction and caliber were apparent. The nerve endings in the epithelium were few.


CONCLUSIONS
The cryopreservative procedures do not affect neural regeneration under light microscope. The depressed tactile sensitivity following the surgery is correlated with nerve endings in the epithelium subnormal in number and with the regeneration of corneal nerves abnormal in distribution and morphology.
Bao
L
L
Department of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital, Qingdao Medical College.
Wang
C
C
Yang
X
X
D000320:Adrenergic Fibers / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002799:Cholinergic Fibers / Q000502:physiology; D003315:Cornea / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D015925:Cryopreservation; D015948:Keratoplasty, Penetrating; D008297:Male; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation