[Ciliated cells of corneal endothelium. Functional and morphological aspects compared to cilia of other organs]

The presence of ciliated cells has been demonstrated by scanning and transmission electron microscopy in corneal endothelium. This study has been carried out on human cornea in normal and pathological cases and on rabbit's normal cornea. Another study has been lead on regeneration of endothelium after freeze destruction. The cilia cells described have a normal structure. The cilia has nine peripheral groups of tubules without any tubule in the center. The cilia seem to be more numerous in case of corneal disease and during the regeneration of corneal endothelium. The authors compare the presence of ciliated cells in different tissues. This suggest that the potency to form single cilia is present in almost every kind of tissue but there is no proof of their pathological importance. In the corneal endothelium, as in the kidney, cilia seem to have no function of fluid transportation but the possibility for cilia to be a receptor is discussed.