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Updated: May 22, 2026
The Corneal Micropocket Assay: A Model of Angiogenesis in the Mouse Eye
Published on: August 16, 2014
Corneal lymphangiogenesis correlates closely with hemangiogenesis after keratoplasty
Shi-Qi Ling1, Can Liu, Wei-Hua Li
1Department of Ophthalmology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China.
Aim:
To examine the relationship between corneal lymphangiogenesis and hemangiogenesis after keratoplasty.
Methods:
Nineteen human corneas were obtained from 19 patients undergoing a second corneal transplantation in Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center in 2005. Blood and lymphatic vessels in human transplanted corneas were identified by lymphatic vessel endothelial receptor (LYVE-1) and platelet endothelial cell adhesion modecule-1 (PECAM-1) immunohistochemistry, and double enzyme-histochemistry; then the association of corneal blood vessel counting (BVC) with lymphatic vessel counting (LVC) was examined.
Results:
Corneal hemangiogenesis was present in 12 cases (63%), and lymphangiogenesis occurred in 5 cases (26%) human transplanted corneas. In addition, corneal lymphangiogenesis was only present in vascularized corneas. LVC was strongly and positively correlated with BVC (r=0.725, P<0.01).
Conclusion:
Corneal lymphangiogenesis develops after keratoplasty and strongly associates with hemangiogenesis.
