Evaluation of peculiarities of the acetylcholinesterase-positive nerve plexus and its length in the cornea.
The objective of this study was to evaluate age-related peculiarities of acetylcholinesterase-positive nerve plexus and its length in the dog cornea.


METHODS
Nine mixed breed dogs (male and female) of 1.8-20 kg weight were used. They were divided into three age groups: young (until 1 year), adult (1-7 years) and old (8 and more years). Acetylcholinesterase-positive nerve plexus was identified using acetylcholinesterase method of M. J. Karnowsky and L. A. Roots (1964) modified by D. H. Pauza et al. (1996). The length of nerve bundles was measured by mm in 1 mm(2) of cornea.


CONCLUSIONS
Branching thick, medium and thin nerve bundles form acetylcholinesterase-positive nerve plexus in dog cornea. The average of the length of nerve bundles between the left and the right corneas was similar in different age groups (p>0.05). The length of acetylcholinesterase-positive nerve bundles in 1 mm(2) of the cornea in the group of adult dogs (10.32+/-0.11 mm) was higher than in the groups of young (9.42+/-0.02 mm) and old dogs (7.75+/-0.14 mm) (p<0.001).
Department of Anatomy and Histology, Lithuanian Veterinary Academy, Tilzes 18, 3022 Kaunas. vidmantas.lasys@mail.lva.lt
Vidmantas
V
Lasys
Edvinas
E
Stanevicius
Gintaras
G
Zamokas
D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000032:analysis*; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D003315:Cornea / Q000201:enzymology / Q000294:innervation*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004285:Dogs; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000201:enzymology / Q000294:innervation; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006652:Histological Techniques; D008297:Male; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000201:enzymology; D013194:Staining and Labeling
D000110:Acetylcholinesterase