Biomaterial Database

The developing corneal endothelium: correlation of morphology, hydration and Na/K ATPase pump site density. 1991

M M Stiemke, and H F Edelhauser, and D H Geroski

Department of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53226.

The physiology and anatomy of the cornea of the New Zealand white rabbit were studied from birth to young adulthood (3 months). The main objective of the study was to follow the ontogeny of the corneal endothelium and correlate its maturation with the establishment of stromal transparency. With maturity, central corneal thickness increases as do corneal diameter and surface area. Endothelial morphology undergoes marked changes including an increase in cell hexagonality and cell surface area, along with a decrease in cell density and coefficient of variation of cell area. Corneal hydration decreases from a high value at birth to the adult level by 20 days after birth, the time of the onset of stromal transparency. By transmission electron microscopy, corneas of newborn rabbits exhibit an endothelium of irregular cell height with some overlap at the bases of adjacent cells. Apical junctions are incomplete in the neonates. With time the endothelium thins and cells becomes more regular in height, overlap of adjacent cells diminishes, and apical junctions develop. Descemet's membrane is thin in newborns and thickens and becomes more homogenous in appearance with maturation. The abundance of Na/K ATPase pump sites per endothelial cell, as determined by 3H-ouabain binding, increases progressively with age even after the establishment of corneal transparency at 20 days. Scatchard and LIGAND analyses of 3H-ouabain binding data indicate that there is a progressive increase in Bmax with no change in the KD from 7 days to 3 months.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D010042	Ouabain	A cardioactive glycoside consisting of rhamnose and ouabagenin, obtained from the seeds of Strophanthus gratus and other plants of the Apocynaceae; used like DIGITALIS. It is commonly used in cell biological studies as an inhibitor of the NA(+)-K(+)-EXCHANGING ATPASE.	Acocantherin,G-Strophanthin,Acolongifloroside K,G Strophanthin
D011817	Rabbits	A burrowing plant-eating mammal with hind limbs that are longer than its fore limbs. It belongs to the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, and in contrast to hares, possesses 22 instead of 24 pairs of chromosomes.	Belgian Hare,New Zealand Rabbit,New Zealand Rabbits,New Zealand White Rabbit,Rabbit,Rabbit, Domestic,Chinchilla Rabbits,NZW Rabbits,New Zealand White Rabbits,Oryctolagus cuniculus,Chinchilla Rabbit,Domestic Rabbit,Domestic Rabbits,Hare, Belgian,NZW Rabbit,Rabbit, Chinchilla,Rabbit, NZW,Rabbit, New Zealand,Rabbits, Chinchilla,Rabbits, Domestic,Rabbits, NZW,Rabbits, New Zealand,Zealand Rabbit, New,Zealand Rabbits, New,cuniculus, Oryctolagus
D002452	Cell Count	The number of CELLS of a specific kind, usually measured per unit volume or area of sample.	Cell Density,Cell Number,Cell Counts,Cell Densities,Cell Numbers,Count, Cell,Counts, Cell,Densities, Cell,Density, Cell,Number, Cell,Numbers, Cell
D003315	Cornea	The transparent anterior portion of the fibrous coat of the eye consisting of five layers: stratified squamous CORNEAL EPITHELIUM; BOWMAN MEMBRANE; CORNEAL STROMA; DESCEMET MEMBRANE; and mesenchymal CORNEAL ENDOTHELIUM. It serves as the first refracting medium of the eye. It is structurally continuous with the SCLERA, avascular, receiving its nourishment by permeation through spaces between the lamellae, and is innervated by the ophthalmic division of the TRIGEMINAL NERVE via the ciliary nerves and those of the surrounding conjunctiva which together form plexuses. (Cline et al., Dictionary of Visual Science, 4th ed)	Corneas
D003886	Descemet Membrane	A layer of the cornea. It is the basal lamina of the CORNEAL ENDOTHELIUM (from which it is secreted) separating it from the CORNEAL STROMA. It is a homogeneous structure composed of fine collagenous filaments, and slowly increases in thickness with age.	Lamina Elastica Posterior,Descemet's Membrane,Descemet Membranes,Descemets Membrane,Elastica Posterior, Lamina,Elastica Posteriors, Lamina,Lamina Elastica Posteriors,Membrane, Descemet,Membrane, Descemet's,Membranes, Descemet,Posterior, Lamina Elastica,Posteriors, Lamina Elastica
D004728	Endothelium, Corneal	Single layer of large flattened cells covering the surface of the cornea.	Anterior Chamber Epithelium,Corneal Endothelium,Endothelium, Anterior Chamber,Epithelium, Anterior Chamber,Anterior Chamber Endothelium
D005260	Female		Females
D000254	Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase	An enzyme that catalyzes the active transport system of sodium and potassium ions across the cell wall. Sodium and potassium ions are closely coupled with membrane ATPase which undergoes phosphorylation and dephosphorylation, thereby providing energy for transport of these ions against concentration gradients.	ATPase, Sodium, Potassium,Adenosinetriphosphatase, Sodium, Potassium,Na(+)-K(+)-Exchanging ATPase,Na(+)-K(+)-Transporting ATPase,Potassium Pump,Sodium Pump,Sodium, Potassium ATPase,Sodium, Potassium Adenosinetriphosphatase,Sodium-Potassium Pump,Adenosine Triphosphatase, Sodium, Potassium,Na(+) K(+)-Transporting ATPase,Sodium, Potassium Adenosine Triphosphatase,ATPase Sodium, Potassium,ATPase, Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging,Adenosinetriphosphatase Sodium, Potassium,Pump, Potassium,Pump, Sodium,Pump, Sodium-Potassium,Sodium Potassium Exchanging ATPase,Sodium Potassium Pump
D000367	Age Factors	Age as a constituent element or influence contributing to the production of a result. It may be applicable to the cause or the effect of a circumstance. It is used with human or animal concepts but should be differentiated from AGING, a physiological process, and TIME FACTORS which refers only to the passage of time.	Age Reporting,Age Factor,Factor, Age,Factors, Age