Ascorbic acid content of human corneal epithelium.
OBJECTIVE
To measure the concentration of ascorbic acid in the human corneal epithelium.


METHODS
Corneal epithelium was removed from postmortem eyes 4 to 16 hours after death and ascorbate measured by high-performance liquid chromatography.


RESULTS
The concentration of ascorbate was 1.33 +/- 0.48 mg/gm wet weight (mean +/- SD), estimated to be 14 times its concentration in the aqueous humor.


CONCLUSIONS
Ascorbate can protect the basal layer of the epithelium by absorption of incident ultraviolet radiation.
Brubaker
R F
RF
Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA. brubaker.richard@mayo.edu
Bourne
W M
WM
Bachman
L A
LA
McLaren
J W
JW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000737:chemistry; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D001205:Ascorbic Acid