[Ultrastructural observations on the fetal corneal epithelium]

The maturing changes in the central corneal epithelium of 18 fetuses were observed by transmission electron microscopy, revealing that the corneal epithelium comprised 5-6 layers of cells after the 8th month of gestation, when the basal cells were short columnar in shape with oval, regular nuclei, and the cytoplasmic organelles included mitochondria. Golgi complexes, rough endoplasmic reticulum, membrane coating granules, glycogen granules etc. In the middle layers were polygonal cells with flat nuclei and few cytoplasmic organelles. The free surfaces of the superficial flat cells were covered with microvilli of different heights and in random arrangement. The study confirmed that ultrastructurally the fetal corneal epithelium after the 8th month achieved the mature form of the adult cornea.