[Development of corneal storage medium--second report. Examination of human cornea].
OBJECTIVE
To develop and evaluate by histological methods a new corneal storage medium with a simple formula.


METHODS
We compared a corneal storage medium which contained minimum essential medium and 2.5% chondroitin sulfate (molecular weight 27,500), pH 7.33, osmolality 320 mOsm/kg with OPTISOL-GS. Paired human donor eyes provided by the Lions Eye Bank of Oregon were stored in a moist chamber until the experiment. A cornea with scleral rim was excised and stored in OPTISOL-GS, and its fellow cornea was stored in the test medium for 5, 10, or 14 days at 4 degrees C. Histological examination of corneal endothelial cells was done by both scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.


RESULTS
On days 5 and 10, there was no significant difference in histological findings between corneas stored in OPTISOL-GS and those in the test medium. Both corneal groups developed degenerative changes with the increase of storage time, but their histological findings were similar for both storage media. On day 14, corneal endothelial cells showed marked degeneration of intracellular organelles such as a swelling of mitochondria in both media.


CONCLUSIONS
Human corneas stored in the test medium for 14 days maintained their structure as well as those in OPTISOL-GS. This shows that the newly developed corneal storage medium composed can be used for medium-term corneal storage.
Tachibana
A
A
Department of Ophthalmology, Nihon University School of Medicine, 30-1 Oyaguchikami-machi, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan.
Sawa
M
M
Hwang
D G
DG
D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates; D045424:Complex Mixtures; D003315:Cornea; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D003911:Dextrans; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005839:Gentamicins; D006801:Humans; D019188:Organ Preservation Solutions / Q000592:standards*
D045424:Complex Mixtures; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D003911:Dextrans; D005839:Gentamicins; D019188:Organ Preservation Solutions; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates; C075736:Optisol