Endothelial healing in rabbit corneal alkali wounds

The healing of rabbit corneal endothelium was studied following a standardized corneal alkali burn. The excised corneas were stained and examined, flat mount, endothelial side up, in the light microscope. Morphometric determinations were performed during the healing process by flat mount technique, and endothelial cell morphology was studied by both histological and flat mount techniques. The decrease of the endothelial wound diameter was linear, in the order of 18 micron/h, during the first 5 days. By one week the wound was almost completely covered by endothelial cells. Subsequently, the endothelium broke down in the central wound area during the second week. Endothelial healing resumed after the secondary break down although at a slow pace. The healing was often interfered with by invading fibroblast-like cells. The endothelial wound was not completely covered by endothelial cells even 6 months after trauma. The interrelation of the damage in different layers of the cornea was discussed.