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Updated: Oct 21, 2025
Development of a Noninvasive, Laser-Assisted Experimental Model of Corneal Endothelial Cell Loss
Published on: April 24, 2020
The corneal endothelium: clinical review of endothelial cell health and function
Preeya K Gupta1, John P Berdahl, Clara C Chan
1From the Department of Ophthalmology, Duke Eye Center, Durham, North Carolina (Gupta, Kim); Vance Thompson Vision, Sioux Falls, South Dakota (Berdahl); Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Chan); Medical University of South Carolina, Storm Eye Institute, Charleston, South Carolina (Rocha); Virginia Eye Consultants, Norfolk, Virginia (Yeu); Cornea Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Ayres); Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, California (Farid); Eye Consultants of Atlanta and Georgia Eye Bank, Atlanta, Georgia (Lee); Comprehensive EyeCare of Central Ohio, Westerville, Ohio (Beckman); Department of Ophthalmology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio (Beckman); Cincinnati Eye Institute and the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio (Holland); Scripps Clinic Medical Group, La Jolla, California (Mah).
Abstract:
The endothelial cell is a critical structure within the cornea and is responsible for maintaining corneal clarity through its pump function. Endothelial cells are lost over time naturally but can be injured medically, surgically, or as a part of various dystrophies. Monitoring of endothelial cells can be performed clinically or more formally with specular microscopy. In cases of significant compromise, endothelial cells can be transplanted by various endothelial keratoplasty techniques. The future pipeline is bright for possible endothelial cell regeneration and rehabilitation. This article reviews these topics in depth to provide a comprehensive look at the structure and function of the endothelial cell, etiologies of endothelial cell damage, detailed review of iatrogenic causes of endothelial cell loss, and management strategies.
