Transient chloride binding as a contributory factor to corneal stromal swelling in the ox

1. Investigations were made of the cation exchange capacity of fresh isolated ox corneal stroma (Q, units: mequiv fixed stromal charge/kg stromal fluid) at pH 7.4 over a variety of stomal hydrations (H, units: kg stromal fluid/kg dry tissue) both above and below the physiological hydration of 3.2, whilst the stromas were immersed in a variety of sodium chloride solutions (range 5-1000 mM). 2. At any particular salt concentration, the product QH (dry tissue exchange capacity, units: mequiv/kg dry tissue) appeared constant, over all the hydrations investigated. 3. Dry tissue exchange capacity (QH) varied, however, when the bathing salt concentration was altered. It varied between 55 mequiv/kg dry tissue (e.g. Q = 17 mequiv at H = 3.2) in 5 mM-NaCl to 240 mequiv/kg dry tissue (e.g. Q = 75 mequiv/l at H = 3.2) in 1000 mM-NaCl. 4. The variation of stromal exchange capacity in NaCl solutions of different concentrations was similar when detected by three independent procedures: stromal gel pressure measurements, intrastromal sodium ion distributions, and intrastromal electrical potentials. 5. Intrastromal chloride ion distributions were anomalous. Total chloride (measured by radio-isotopes) was consistently higher than that predicted by Donnan theory. 6. The data were consistent with Elliott's hypothesis that a fraction of intrastromal chloride ions bind to the corneal stromal matrix and in so doing contribute to the fixed negative charge of the stroma. 7. Our observations may be explained by a model of the cation exchange capacity of ox cornea which has two types of components. On is (at constant pH) invariant, and has a dry tissue exchange capacity of about 50 mequiv/kg dry tissue, and is probably generated by the sulphonic and carboxylic acid groups of the glycosaminoglycans. The other is explained by supposing it to consist of a chloride binding ligand which exhibits first order binding, is half occupied at ambient chloride concentrations of 300 mM, and has a total capacity of 240 mequiv/kg dry tissue. 8. Partial stromal extraction with 4 M-guanidine HCl indicated that the chloride binding ligand is not associated with the collagen molecules in the corneal stromal fibrils. 9. It is suggested that such a stromal chloride ion binding ligand would help to stabilize the hydration and transparency of the living cornea when it is exposed to environments of varying tonicity (such as in river or sea bathing).