title: Corneal lymphangiogenesis correlates closely with hemangiogenesis after keratoplasty.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship between corneal lymphangiogenesis and hemangiogenesis after keratoplasty.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen human corneas were obtained from 19 patients undergoing a second corneal transplantation in Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center in 2005. Blood and lymphatic vessels in human transplanted corneas were identified by lymphatic vessel endothelial receptor (LYVE-1) and platelet endothelial cell adhesion modecule-1 (PECAM-1) immunohistochemistry, and double enzyme-histochemistry; then the association of corneal blood vessel counting (BVC) with lymphatic vessel counting (LVC) was examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Corneal hemangiogenesis was present in 12 cases (63%), and lymphangiogenesis occurred in 5 cases (26%) human transplanted corneas. In addition, corneal lymphangiogenesis was only present in vascularized corneas. LVC was strongly and positively correlated with BVC (r=0.725, P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Corneal lymphangiogenesis develops after keratoplasty and strongly associates with hemangiogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China.
authors.forename: Shi-Qi
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Can
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wei-Hua
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian-Gang
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Wen-Hui
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Kuang