[Dynamics of endothelial cells of the peripheral area of cornea]

Clinical corneal buttons of 150 cases were stained with try-pan blue and alizalin red S, so as to compare the relative density of endothelial cells and to analyse the forms of the cell nuclei. The result showed that cell densities of fetal corneal endothelium of 25 cases with fetal period from 19 to 34 weeks, had no significant difference (P > 0.05) between the central and peripheral areas of cornea. However, the cell densities of corneal endothelium of 19 cases, aged from newborn to 53 years, showed a significant difference (p < 0.01). The cell nuclei of the fetal corneal endothelium have elliptic forms mainly, which are similar between central and peripheral area of corneal endothelium. However, the forms show an unstable nucleus morphological structure. From newborn to adult cornea, the nucleus forms of corneal endothelial cells tend to be stable and circular, but there are unstable forms of endothelial cell nuclei dispersed in corneal periphery. This emphasize that the endothelial cells in corneal periphery still keep its cell differential function of development in some degree.