Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2026
The Corneal Micropocket Assay: A Model of Angiogenesis in the Mouse Eye
Published on: August 16, 2014
The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor C in transplanted corneas
Shiqi Ling1, Chaoxiu Qi, Wei Li
1Department of Ophthalmology, Guangzhou Children's Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, P.R. China. lingshiqi123@163.com
Purpose:
To discuss the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) after keratoplasty in rats.
Methods:
The Fischer 344 rat corneas were transplanted into Lewis rat eyes. The expression of VEGF-C in cornea was examined by immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR. The association of corneal lymphangiogenesis, corneal inflammation, and rejection score (RS), with VEGF-C in transplanted corneas was also examined.
Results:
Both VEGF-C protein and mRNA upregulated dramatically in rat transplanted corneas. The immunoreactivity was at peak on the 3rd day and the 14th day after keratoplasty, respectively. VEGF-C mRNA was strongly and positively correlated with inflammatory index (IF) (r = 0.93; p < 0.01), lymphatic vessel counting (LVC) (r = 0.40; p < 0.05), and RS (r = 0.50; p < 0.05). The development of VEGF-C mRNA, IF, and RS was almost parallel in the second week after keratoplasty.
Conclusions:
VEGF-C was expressed in rat transplanted corneas. The expression of VEGF-C correlated closely with corneal inflammation, corneal lymphangiogenesis, and allograft rejection.
