[Supramolecular changes in preserved corneal tissue exposed to alpha-tocopherol]

Kinetics of chemifluorescence of the tissue of the cornea of isolated dog eyes (induced by 1% hydrogen peroxide) was confronted to the results of determination of the ultrastructural changes in the 30th day the eye preservation in a moist chamber at 4 degrees C with and without replacement of the chamber humour of the eye with alpha-tocopherol. The results of investigations pointed to profound changes of free radical processes in the structural components of the corneal cells with changes in the periods and conditions of preservation. It is supposed that these disturbances underlied the trigger mechanisms of the autolysis. Stabilization of the lipoprotein complexes of the cell in preservation is apparently determined by the capacity of antioxidants, particularly of alpha-tocopherol to maintain oxidative processes at a constant level.