[Factors influencing corneal endothelium in organ cultures during transport]

Experiments were performed to evaluate to what extent low temperature and mechanical shock are tolerated by the endothelium of corneal grafts in organ culture.

A total of 40 paired corneal grafts were kept in organ culture for 7-28 days at 34.5 degrees C. After this period, the grafts were divided into 8 groups: (A(1)) organ culture at 20 degrees C for 12 h, thereafter organ culture at 34.5 degrees C for 7 days: (A(2)) control for group A(1) maintained at 34.5 degrees C over the whole culture period: (B(1)) organ culture at 10 degrees C for 12 h, thereafter organ culture at 34.5 degrees C for 7 days: (B(2)) control for group B(1) maintained at 34.5 degrees C over the whole culture period: (C(1)) mechanical shock exerted 100 times (>100 g), thereafter organ culture at 34.5 degrees C for 7 days: (C(2)) control for group C(1) maintained at 34.5 degrees C over the whole culture period with no mechanical shock: (D(1)) organ culture at 10 degrees C for 12 h, mechanical shock exerted 100 times (>100 g) and then organ culture at 34.5 degrees C for 7 days: (D(2)) control for group D(1) maintained at 34.5 degrees C over the whole culture period with no mechanical shock. Endothelial evaluation was performed immediately before and at the end of the final culture period.

The following values for loss of endothelial cells were obtained: A(1) 5.7%+/-6.9, A(2) 4.3%+/-15.9, B(1) 10.4%+/-14.4, B(2) 7.2%+/-14.0, C(1) 7.2%+/-6.3, C(2) 0.7%+/-13.4, D(1) 3.7%+/-7.6, D(2) 1.1%+/-7.4.

According to these experiments, lowering the temperature to 10 degrees C over a period of 12 h and/or mechanical shock above 100 g exerted 100 times did not seem to affect the endothelium of corneal grafts in organ culture.